Beauty in the Mask
by Possessed4evr
Summary: Mello never felt more alone. Sure, he's at the top of his school, has his entire future planned out for him, and is rich beyond his wildest dreams but it only makes him feel empty. But when he meets Matt, everything changes for the better...and the worse.
1. Welcome to the World

**so this is my new story. ive had this idea 4 awhile now so i wanted 2 give it a shot. this will also hav a sequel 2 it, just wanted 2 let ppl kno, so in case i end it w/out putting the title, check my profile for updates & ull c a sequel name. hope everyone likes, pleez review if u do cuz they bring faster updates. enjoy! **:3

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December 13th 1989

Her teeth clenched and her hands shook. Her mouth opened as if she was screaming but no sound came out. Her husband waited patiently by her side, holding her hand as the best doctors in California worked on bringing the most important person in his life: the heir. _His _heir.

Daniel Keehl watched his wife sweat bombs and felt slightly disgusted.

A few hours of painful contractions and constant screaming, a baby's cries filled the hospital room. A tiny little baby, cute, slightly chubby, and covered in body fluids, screamed and cried as he was taken away from his warm home and laid out on a table to be cleaned.

Patrice Keehl sighed and smiled at her husband.

"Finally," She whispered. "Finally."

"Now we don't have to have more. One boy to continue the line. And soon, we'll be able to get back to traveling." Patrice sighed in relief, wishing and wanting to be back on her feet and on their exclusive cruise going around the world. She wished to be making more money again without having to lift a finger.

"That would be just lovely. And we'll get Ty to look after him. She won't mind, she's so lonely the poor wretch will probably glue his body to her own."

"If she wasn't so poor, her son wouldn't have died."

"And he was so cute too. He could have been someone. But enough time spent dwelling on the dead. We're here to celebrate the living. Doctor, bring me my son now."

"We're not finished-" The doctor began.

"Then hurry up!" She cried and scoffed. "You said these were the best."

"We'll be hearing from my lawyer if this doesn't hurry up sweetheart." Daniel reassured, not bothering to keep his voice down.

A few minutes later, the now whining baby was returned to his mother. Bubbles began to form around his mouth and Patrice became quite afraid.

"Oh my lord! Doctor he has rabies!" The baby cried at the loud noise and immediately a nurse grabbed the child and began to caress it soothingly.

"He doesn't have rabies!" The nurse answered in a quiet but harsh tone. "Babies salivate and blow bubbles from their mouths when they're happy to be returned with their mothers." She began to rock the tired child and handed him to the mother once more. Patrice still felt disgusted but hugged the child none the less.

"Mihael." She whispered. "Mihael Keehl."

*********

Two Months Later- February 1st 1990

Michael Jeevas folded his arms. His younger sister Michelle Jeevas was lying in a bed, clutched her almost deflated stomach. Across from them was a tiny baby, only minutes old, making small gurgling noises and moving his tiny fingers in an effort to be held. Michael waited for the doctors to leave, rolling his eyes at the pathetic hospital room they had been forced to rent.

His job was just enough to get them by. They didn't have enough. And Michael would force Michelle back on the streets cause he needed the extra money for the kid.

Mail cried out suddenly, wanting to be held in his mother's arm. Michelle reached for Mail, only to be pulled back by Michael's strong arm.

"Your going to lose weight Michelle." Michelle looked at her crying child and nodded. She wanted to soothe the little one. "And your going back on the streets." Again, Michelle nodded, her arms stiffening ion her brother's grip. "I don't give three shits about that little fucktard right there. I'm only keeping him because of you but I could care less if he's my son." Michelle lowered her eyes.

Mail Jeevas: a child who was born from a brother and sister. A child of incest.

"Michael-"

"You listen to me Michelle." Michael growled, his teeth bared. "I'm wasting my time and life for that kid. If he stays at my house instead of your shit ass apartment, then you stay out of my house. Got that?" Michelle nodded, tears forming in her eyes. "That little bitch is mine. All mine in the future. Children like him don't deserve to be born so he doesn't deserve to live. If I'm lucky, he'll kill himself before he reaches his teens." Michelle let out a painful cry, causing baby Mail to wail louder in fear and response.

Disgusted, he released Michelle, who reached for her baby and cradled him to her chest. He watched the baby calm and relax as Michelle breast fed him, he curled against her skin happily. For the first time that night, Michael smiled. Mail Jeevas was going to suffer. And he would never be happy again.

*********

"We're moving him to America?" Patrice asked horrified. "He'll loose his accent!" Two year old Mihael Keehl looked up at his parents, his blue eyes big as he cradled a small toy in his tiny hands. He reached for his mother's skirt for attention and she slapped his hand away, calling for one of the maids. "Whoever you are, take Mihael to his room. He's disrupting us."

The maid nodded and picked Mihael up, ignoring his grunts of frustration as he struggled to reach for his mother. The mother that would never hold him back.

"Of course dear. He'll be working on his studies while we're traveling and he'll be staying at the estate." Patrice looked unsure.

"Mummy!" Mihael cried in the distance. Patrice rolled her eyes.

"So what do you think Patrice?" Daniel asked.

"Let's go."

*********

Mail was sucking on two fingers, looking through the walls of his play pen at his father walking back and forth.

Michael looked down at Mail and snorted in disgust.

"Michelle! Change Mail!" Michelle came stumbling out, her eyes red and big from drugs most likely. She glared angrily at Michael and folded her arms, dropping the beer bottle in her hands.

"Michael, why is Matt in a cage?" Mail's eyes began to water at the screaming voices.

"Its a fucking play pen Michelle! And the kid stinks worse than you do so go fucking change him!"

"You know you only put him in there because you don't even want to hold him. He's one years old for god sakes and I can't remember one time you've ever taken him out of that thing when I've been around! He doesn't even have any toys to play with!" Their argument was interrupted by Mail's cries, his pure voice now screaming for attention and out of fear.

"Now look what you've done you dumb bitch!" Michelle turned away from him and put on a pair of earrings.

"I've got to go to work Michael! Take care of Mail!" Michael sat down on the couch and picked up a discarded beer.

"You fucking do it! Your the mom!" Michelle hissed and stomped over to the play pen, picking Mail up swiftly and dropping him on the table carelessly. Mail screamed as his head hit the table causing Michelle to shake with anger. She pulled out a cigarette to calm her nerves and took a deep breath as she snatched a binky and shoved it in Mail's mouth.

The tiny infant cried and whimpered, unable to figure out how to take out the binky. Michelle ripped off the diaper, cleaning Mail's body quickly before pulling on another diaper. Although Mail had been cleaned he still whimpered from the pain and fear so Michelle picked him up and bobbed him up and down until he eventually fell asleep in her arms. Sighing, she walked over to his cradle at laid him down before turning to Michael.

"You made me late you ass wipe. Thanks ever so much." She spat with as much venom as she could muster.

"Anytime bitch." Michelle left the house, trying her hardest not to slam the door. Mail didn't need to wake up and cry for someone who would never love or hold him.

*********

A few months after Mail's second birthday, Michelle stopped coming to the house. She instead sent money for baby Mail, most of which was waisted on beer.

But that wasn't the biggest problem. Michael had to take care of Mail now. He had enough money to care for Mail and himself, pay the bills and taxes, and still live a good enough life. But he couldn't hire a nanny or babysitter. The best he could get was a single mother down the street who had recently lost one of her own children. She would take care of Mail, free of charge while he worked and eventually picked the baby up.

It was the best he could do and would do, until Mail was old enough to walk and talk. Then the kid would have to grow up on his own.

*********

Mihael was dropped off at the exquisite Pre-K center for the richest children in the entire United States. He looked back at Rosaria, who left him in the strange new, but very vast and upgraded children's room. He wished to be back home and playing with his toys but soon played with the other children that day and enjoyed it.

The two year old forgot about the emptiness of not having his parents around or the fact that no one had actually stuck around to take care of him. Instead, he would be raised to be exactly what his parents wanted him to be: a rich people-person, heir to their fortune. Someone who would grow up forced in a certain way whether he liked it or not.


	2. Heavy Hearts

**a lot of exciting but sad stuff happens in this chapter. very sad but good. u learn about 2 very important characters in this chapter. & pleez review guys, girls, death note lovers. the more i smile, the more i make. :D so w/out further adieu chapter 2!** :3

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"Tomoe, get your ass down here right now!" Mail looked up fearfully at his older brother Tomoe, who sighed. He picked Mail up off the floor and held the young six year old close to his chest, knowing that if their father was drunk, he would surely go berserk and hit the next defenseless thing he could get to...being Mail. Tomoe watched Mail curl against him and he sighed. Mail had gone through enough beatings to last a lifetime and yet there were still more to come. "TOMOE!" Mail whimpered and clung tighter to Tomoe's chest in fear.

"I'm coming!" He yelled, patting Mail's back in a comforting manner. He opened his door and cautiously walked out, seeing his father lounging on the couch. "What do you want?" He asked in an annoyed tone. Mail buried his face in Tomoe's shoulder and Tomoe could feel tiny wet tears falling down his neck.

Tomoe froze when he saw his dad holding up a letter. "What the fuck is this?" Tomoe stood his ground, feeling his heart pound so loud that Mail could hear.

"An acceptance letter." Michael Jeevas stood up and kicked over a table, breaking multiple beer bottles on the carpet floor. Tomoe felt Mail constrict against him and he sighed. _I'm so sorry Mail_.....

"An acceptance letter? Are you fucking serious? This isn't college Tomoe! You are NOT going to the army!" Tomoe winced as Mail hit him with a small fist. He was a really smart kid for his age and he understood things that a lot of people didn't.

"Tomoe!" Mail cried as he was set down on the floor.

"Shush Mail." Tomoe said and he looked up at his father. "I'm going dad. I'm eighteen and your not the boss of me or my mom, who you left all alone I might add. The only reason I even visit is to watch over Mail. Someone's got to make sure you stop hitting him or else I'll tell the police." His dad stiffened visibly.

"Is that a threat?"

"Obviously." Tomoe answered with the same harsh tone. "I won't be around to watch him anymore. I'll be gone for a long time but I will be back you know." His dad snorted and sat back down, rolling his eyes.

"Unless you die." Tomoe sighed.

"If I come back here and your still beating him, I'll go to the police." Mail felt himself being clawed away from Tomoe and he yelped in response. His father held him close to his chest and Mail whimpered.

"If you don't stop putting your goddamn war stories through his head, I'm going to beat your ass. Now get out of my house you betraying fucker. I don't want any son of mine fighting for the bitches we're trying to stop in war." He hissed. Tomoe looked at Mail one last time. "Are you deaf? I said get out!"

"I'm sorry Mail." Tomoe called, leaving the small house for the last time.

*********

"What do you want baby?" Ty asked Mihael. The small boy pursed his lips in thought and grinned at the cook.

"Macaroni and cheese!" He cried out, smiling at the Keehl's cook/tutor. Not that Mihael needed a tutor because he was so bright for his age.

"You wanna help me make it?" She asked with a smile.

"YES! YES! YES!" He screamed, grabbing a chair and dragging it over to the cabinet where the pasta was kept. Ty laughed and shook her head, lifting the boy up on the chair and opening the metal cabinet door.

"Can you see the macaroni?" She asked.

"Lemme find it!" He cried out searching through the boxes. Although Mihael was smarter than most, Ty felt that the six year old needed time to just be a kid. Lord knows, he needed to have some fun instead of being forced to study and "mingle" when he should be playing and living his life. Mihael grinned and pulled out the macaroni box handing it to Ty.

"Good job Mihael!" She cried out. "Now lets go get the big pan out. Do you know where it is?" The Keehl's would frown down upon her whenever they visited, because they felt as if Ty babied Mihael too much. She watched the small blue-eyed child fun to another cabinet and pull out a giant metal pot that he himself could fit into. "Very good," she said, pulling a chair next to the oven so Mello could stand on it.

She took the pot from his hands so he could climb up on the chair and she handed him the box. "Can I read the directions?" Ty nodded. Mihael's eyes read the entire back of the box in a few seconds and once again, Ty felt herself grow amazed as the child turned the oven on to preheat and prepared the food. She no longer felt the need to help, watching Mihael work in amazing time to make food. "How am I doing Ty?"

"Amazing Mihael," She said earnestly. "Absolutely amazing." She reached for the spoon and began stirring the noodles as he poured an entire pack of cheese in. "All we have to do is let this cook for a little bit and then we can eat." She ruffled his hair. "Why don't you go watch some telly?" She said. Although the boy had lost his british accent – even though he really is from Germany – he still used the british terms he had known since he was very young. 'Telly', 'mum', 'jam', simple words like that in a cute american accent.

"If I'm quiet and good, can I have some chocolate pud?" He asked. 'Pud' instead of pudding. She laughed and nodded as he ran off and sat down. "I'm being good!" He yelled. Ty laughed again and took out a chocolate container, pouring some of its content into a bowl. She turned off the oven and took out a plate, putting a good amount on along with a bit of salad and chicken.

Mihael was not in favor of vegetables but could always eat them if there was some kind of meat on top. She sprinkled some carrots on top of the salad and placed the plate on a tray, next to a cup of orange juice before carrying out the food to Mihael, who was sitting on a fluffy pillow in front of the tv. Ty set the food in front of Mihael and felt the boy kiss her on the cheek.

"Thank you Ty."

"Your very welcome Mihael." She said, letting the boy devour his food and watch a Bugs Bunny marathon for the rest of the afternoon.

*********

Mail hated his new school. Although only a week of school had gone by, the teachers had already succeeded in making him feel stupid, even though he knew more than the other kids. But no matter how much he would talk to his dad, his father could care less. Sighing, Mail sat at the kitchen table, watching his father pour himself a cup of coffee. He stared at his dad's back blankly, imagining all sorts of horrible ways his father could die or disappear. But of course, he was still there.

Stuffing his hand in his wallet, his dad pulled out a five and handed Mail his lunch money. "Don't you go wasting that on some other shit." Mail nodded. He walked over to the fridge and reached for an apple, when his dad suddenly grabbed his hand. "What do you think your doing?" Mail froze, knowing it would be bad to provoke his father.

"G-getting breakfast." The six-year old answered. His father smiled, an idea forming in his mind.

"Come with me Mail." His father walked down the hall, making sure the small boy was following. Mail found his father waiting in the bathroom, holding a cell phone to his ear and motioning for him to come inside. As soon as Mail walked in, his father shut the door and locked it.

"Hi, this Mail Jeevas's father, Michael Jeevas. I'm sorry to say that Mail won't be coming to school today because he's not feeling very well but he should be going back to school in about two days, give or take. Yes. Thank you." His dad closed the phone.

"I'm not going to school because...I'm sick?" Mail asked. The smart boy could not understand the lie his father had just told. "I don't understand." He said.

His father bent down and put his hand on Mail's shoulder. "Son, do you know what bulemia is?" Mail thought for a moment and found the word in his memory.

"An emotional disorder involving distortion of body image and an obsessive desire to lose weight, in which bouts of extreme overeating are followed by depression and self-induced vomiting, purging, or fasting. Also called binge-purge syndrome." Mail recited, gasping when his father's hand came hard and fast across his face, leaving a big red mark.

"Wrong." Ripping off Mail's shirt, he grabbed the boy by his hair and dragged him over to the mirror. "Its what fat ugly people do to make themselves less ugly because everyone hates fat people. They throw up and stop eating breakfast." Mail felt tears well up in his eyes as his father yanked his hair harder. "Mail nobody likes you. Your a disgusting human being and you shouldn't even be alive. No ones ever going to want to love you but you can do one thing to make people hate you less." Mail sniffled and rubbed his nose. "Look how ugly you are." Mail looked at himself in the mirror and began to cry, making his head pound.

**(A/N: this is only part of the story, not real life views about weight and looks but if i have offended anyone, then I am truly sorry)**

"I-I-I..." Mail couldn't even finish a sentence he was crying so hard.

"Say your ugly. I want here you say 'I'm ugly.'" Sobbing, Mail rubbed his eyes. "Say it." He threatened.

"I-I am u-ug-ugly."

"Say it again."

"I'm...ug-ugly."

"Again." Mail's tears began to increase.

"I'm ugulee!" He screamed, unable to form sentences any longer. Satisfied, he dragged Mails body to the toilet.

"From now on, every time you eat breakfast, you throw up whatever you ate. If you don't, then god will make everyone hate you." Mail sobbed and nodded. "You only eat lunch and dinner. What I give you is all you eat. Got that you little shit?" Mail nodded again, sticking his small finger down his throat.

*********

Mihael hated dogs. When he was just three years old, a dog had ran up to him and bit him in the face, leaving the boy paranoid and afraid. Thank god there was no scar left to ruin such an angelic face. So instead, his parents bought him several other animals: four cats, a parakeet, two guinea pigs, and a snake.

Anything but a dog.

But despite the eight animals he had been given, his favorite was a tiny ginger kitten, which he named Bubba after his uncle that died a few years ago. Every time Mihael had a free moment to himself, he spent it with his cat. If he was ever reading a book or watching tv, Bubba would be there. Sure, he loved the other animals.

But Bubba was something special. Mihael felt that he finally had someone close to him, someone who would never leave him alone, and someone he could hold. He felt some sort of completion and he loved the feeling. Unfortunately for Mihael, Bubba's life was not meant to last as long a human's life span.

*********

Mail was eight years old. He had not seen his mother in six years, his brother in two, he threw up every single morning, and knew how to use a razor. His father hit him constantly, he hated his school, and he was depressed. He looked at the clock by the side of his bed, sighing. 6:45 a.m. School started at eight o clock. Breakfast would have been made by now. Dad would be at work by now.

He stood up and walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge and taking out the bowl of soggy cereal his dad had left for him. _The more I eat, the more I throw up, the happier dad is_. He thought miserably as he took a bite. He hated his father. But he was the only one who even knew Mail existed...which had to count for something...right?

It was because he was ugly. No one wanted to be around ugly people. He had to lose weight. He was just too fat. Finishing the cereal, he ran into the bathroom, feeling overbearing weight in his mind as his thoughts screamed at him constantly. He threw up his entire breakfast moments later, feeling the demons exit his head. He felt a small sense of relief as he wiped the bile from his lips and went to go wash out his mouth.

*********

Mihael was in the ten acre garden, crying silently in a pile of bushes. Servants had come out here, searching the vast land for the young boy in vain and becoming worried when they could not find him. His mind and his heart felt like rocks in his body. He felt disgusted and he never knew why. So he cried.

No one had ever found him when he hid out here. Not even Ty. This was his secret place, where no one could hurt him if they couldn't find him. Sighing, he wiped his nose, freezing when he heard a small rustling in front of him. Crouching lower in the dirt, Mihael closed his eyes as a pair of big warm hands reached out and picked the boy out of the large bushes.

Mihael opened his eyes. A tall blonde-haired servant was holding him, smiling warmly at him.

"No matter where you hide, I'll always find you and bring you back." He said soothingly. Mihael felt himself melt and he sobbed hard, wrapping his small arms around his newly hired man-servant's neck.


	3. Kindred

**im so happy i was able 2 update 2day cuz i didnt get a lot of hw. :) so this chapter was a little bit happier than the usual angst & i hope everybody likes it. also, i put an important anouncement at the bottom of my profile, write above the list of my stories so read it if any of u have subscribed 2 any of my other stories. hope u enjoy, & pleez review. **:3

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Mail would've died. Mail could've died. He felt he should have died. But he didn't. Because one day about two weeks ago, when he was taking the long walk from school because he "accidently" missed the bus so he could avoid his dad longer, he found Jojo.

People gave no notice to Mail walking through town and Mail felt invisible, like he always had. And he was wishing he was dead. Looking at his feet, he didn't notice the crumpled newspaper that he tripped over. Something yelped out in pain and the eight year old backed away from the newspaper, looking at his bleeding hands he had scraped on the sidewalk. Sighing, he stood up, brushing some dust off of his already dirty baggy pants.

Carefully, he walked over to the newspaper and flipped it over........

….....revealing a small German Shepherd puppy.

Mail inhaled deeply, staring at the pup. No one noticed it.....

And no one noticed him. Kindred spirits with a dog. Mail smiled at the thought. But the puppy was smaller and weaker. Just a baby. And Mail swore he would care for it. Gathering the tiny sleeping thing in his arms, he pulled off his over sized army jacket that Tomoe had sent him last year and kept the puppy warm.

The sun began to set as Mail walked past the gate of his home. The door was locked of course so Mail climbed in through his open window and shut it afterwards. Laying the puppy down on his bed, he realized that he would have to feed it soon because the small thing was close to dying.

_Alone and abandoned......_ Mail shook his head and shut his door, rushing into the kitchen. He found his dinner in the microwave: a tv dinner. Better than nothing.

_What do German Shepherd's eat?_ Mail thought. He remembered the basic information about most dogs but he had no idea what the puppy would eat. He opened the fridge door and searched the entire thing, seeing if there was anything he could feed the pup. Nothing. Mail became nervous. What if it died? Died by starvation? Would it be painful? Fear began to course through him as he rushed back into his room, running to his bed to see if the puppy was okay.

_Oh no_....he thought nervously. Where did it go? Looking around, he heard a small growl coming from the inside of his closet. Cautiously opening the door, he saw the tiny thing chewing on one of his old sneakers and he laughed. _Its teething!_ He thought idly as he picked up the shoe and puppy and laid them both out on the bed. The small dog seemed to have gained a lot more energy now that he was awake and was now sniffing him with interest. Mail giggled as he felt a soft tongue run up his arm.

"Well your a cute fella." He stroked the dogs back, becoming completely obsessed with the dog's behavior. It was so much better than anything he had ever read before. The dog was _real_. The puppy began to chew on his fingers and hand, pulling on it gently. _I think he wants attention. Or maybe he wants to stay here._ "Don't you worry little guy. I'm not going to kick you out on the street. I'll take care of you, I promise."

Picking up the puppy, he inspected it for any signs of infection or fatigue, injuries or anything that was putting the puppy through any pain. "Nothing yet...but your still going to need food. And a name."

Mail pursed his lips. "Zero...no too common. Pedro...stupid. Coco....that's really stupid. Jojo.....that's...." The dog barked. "Perfect." Mail stood up and tickled the dog's chin before picking it up and carrying it out into the living room. _God I hope dad had a good day....._

As Mail walked out into the living room, he saw his dad laying on the couch with his eyes glued to the tv. Swallowing, he took a deep breath and tried to calm his fluttering heart beat.

"Dad..."

"What do you want?" His dad asked in a pissed off tone. Mail swallowed again and held back tears.

"This is Jojo." He started out, still staring at his dad who was looking at the tv still. "I found him all alone outside and he's just a little baby and I was wondering if I could keep him." His father continued to ignore him, making Mail feel more nervous. _The only times he gets like this...is when he wants to hit me after a bad day at work_. Jojo struggled in his arms to get free, wanting to search the new area he had been brought to. Mail tried desperately to calm Jojo as his father stood up and looked at him.

"That's the mutt?" He said. Mail nodded, not bothering to talk back out of fear. His father walked over to him slowly stopping in front of him so he could pick up Jojo. Mail felt nervous as his dad was shaking the dog and felt sick when he held the pup up by its skin. "Hmm." He said, dropping Jojo on the floor. Mail gasped and jumped back as Jojo ran off in fear and hid underneath the living room table for protection. Mail ran after him, only to be dragged back by his hair. "You listen hear Mail." Mail swallowed and nodded, crying out as his father smacked his cheek. "Answer me when I talk to you!"

"Yes!" Mail said, getting smacked again for screaming too loud.

"I'm not gonna take care of that fucking dog. He's your responsibility, you hear me? That doesn't mean I'm not gonna get him food, since I used to have a dog myself.....and that mutt's probably worth more than you'll ever be." Mail closed his eyes, feeling his cheeks burning with hurt and shame. "But _you _have to walk him and clean him. That's the rules. I feed him in the morning and I leave him food for him at night but that's it! If that thing poops in the house, he's _out._ Got it?" Mail nodded. His father's eyes narrowed but he let go of Mail, walking back to the tv and turning up the volume. "Get the little shit out of here. He stays in your room."

"Yes sir." Mail called as he rushed off to where Jojo was hiding and dragged the pup to his room, smiling as he held 'Jojo Jeevas' close to his heart.

*********

Mihael pouted, feeling his mood quickly drop. "Rick!" He called, slamming the phone down. "Rick!" Rick entered the room, fixing the tie to his black suit as he walked over to where Mihael was sitting. Wiping his eyes, he faced his manservant and grabbed the older man's hand. "They're not coming...so you'll have to play with me." He said in a mixed tone, filled with anger and depression. Rick nodded and stood.

"Of course Mihael. What would you like to play?" Rick watched the young boy run out of the room, yelling 'hide and seek' before the door closed. A small smile played on the man's lips. Whenever Mihael was lonely or hurt, he would _force_, beg, or do whatever it took to make Rick play hide and seek. No one was able to find him. No one _but_ Rick. The though made Mihael tingle inside because even though Rick didn't "know him" he would always be the one to bring Mihael home from the darkness.

And since his father had canceled the vacation Mihael was supposed to have with his own parents for his birthday as a gift, he was feeling very alone now. And he wanted to be found. Searching the yard, he found a particularly old oak tree with a hole just big enough for him to fit through. Smiling and giggling, the eight year old crawled into the hole hearing the yard door close in the distant. "I'm coming." Rick called gently. Mihael stifled another giggle.

Even though he was a little old to believe, Mihael honestly thought that Rick had some magic ability that allowed him to find Mihael.

"Rick, come here!" Mihael froze. One of the neighbor's was calling Rick over and all Mihael could think was how dare they. Peaking over the edge, he saw the whole family there, speaking to Rick and most likely insulting him. Mihael felt anger course through him. No one would insult Rick and get away with it. Climbing out of the tree, he rushed by the plants over to where the adults were standing only to trip, fall and scream as he saw.....

*********

Jojo was growing quickly. Mail knew the dog needed a leash but feared that he would not be able to hold the growing dog back because the dog was strong and he was weak. Sighing, he threw the ball as hard as he could, laughing and cheering as Jojo ran excitedly after it with as much enthusiasm as Mail felt.

"Good job Jojo! Good boy!" He called out as the dog ran back to him and dropped the ball at his feet. Mail ignored the looks of a few people passing by, focusing on Jojo's smiling face as he threw the ball again. Jojo ran through the park to catch that ball and ran back eagerly, never seeming to lose any energy. Mail sighed happily and scratched Jojo's left ear as he pocketed the ball and walked back to the bench. Jojo barked and followed Mail, whining as the boy sat down and motioned for the dog to sit down. Mail knew how to make Jojo listen to him but he always felt bad when he had to cut the dog's play time short. But it was getting dark soon and he would have to go home eventually. "I know Jojo I know." Mail cooed sadly as he stroked the sad dog's ears. "I don't want to go back either. But at least we'll get some food." Mail offered. "Some nice yummy dinner dad left for us." Jojo's eyes blinked lazily and Mail sighed, feeling guilt fill up inside of him. "Tomorrow's Saturday and I'll be able to take you here tomorrow for a few hours before dad picks us up. Don't worry, I'll take you, that's a promise." Mail swore as he stood up and walked away from the bench with his dog to his father's car.

*********

Rick turned instantly as he heard Mihael scream, his senses sharp as he saw the boy laying on the ground. He took off running as he saw Mihael try to fight off the dog that was on top of him and kicked the dog off when he saw the dog begin to bite. He picked Mihael off of the ground, wiping off the dirt that had covered his body. Mihael sobbed as Rick looked at the bites on his arms and legs and he picked up the small boy's body, carrying him inside. Before he could open the door, the neighbor's wife grabbed his arm and slapped his arm furiously, her face turning bright red.

"You poor scum!" She shrieked at him as her husband came by to hold her back. "How dare you kick my dog? You have no right to kick or hurt my pure breed you disgusting low life. Don't think I won't sue you for injuring my poor baby! I'll make sure you never find work again!" She said, petting her dirt covered dog. Forcing himself to calm down, Rick turned to the couple and said in a calm manner,

"Don't worry Mr. and Mrs. Wellings. I'll be sure to countersue for having you bring that little mutt on _our_ property and attack the son of the people who own this house." The couples' jaw dropped as Rick walked inside, slamming and locking the door behind him as he held Mihael close.


	4. You Found Me

**so 2day was an early release & even tho i should be ding my hw, i reely wanted 2 write this chapter. i felt that mail was getting a lot of attention 4 the 1st 3 chapters so i wrote a bit more 4 mihael, even tho he has a lot more "attention" late in the story. this chapter also had musical inspiration which ill always put down once in awhile. so hope u guys enjoy, please review & special thanx 2 my reviewers:**

**TimelyExit, Shadow Dancer666, & Lucifaera.**

**Remember reviews bring faster updates. Enjoy!** :3

*********

_Musical Inspiration: _**You Found Me** by The Fray

--

Mail had soon realized in a span of two years that his father would get less and less food for him, in hopes that he would starve himself eventually. But Mail swore that if he would ever die, it would be by his own hands and not by someone else's. So he made a deal with his father.

_I get my own food until I make it into the best high school of the state and you feed Jojo. If I do make it in, you get me whatever I want with what money you have._

It was stupid but Mail didn't feel like being smart. And his father agreed. Beside, with Mail's brains, he could easily make it in on a scholarship.

So everyday, after school, the ten year old would take Jojo to the giant supermarket and tie the dog to a nearby tree. No one would dare touch the dog, especially since he had trained Jojo to attack anyone who tried to grab him. Around five or six, trucks would start driving around the back where he was waiting and the back of the store would open. He would sneak in each time, avoiding being seen by cameras or security as he shoved anyone of the following during his random food raids: poptarts, chips, fruits and candy, cheese, ham and bread, the occasional ice cream container, milk, cereal, and his own black coffee. His beat-up schoolbag had more than enough room to fit at least five of those things to take home each day.

And everyday, he would sneak out, steal, grab Jojo's leash, and walk home to make himself dinner, usually a bowl of cereal with coffee or a sandwich. He had done so for two years and he would continue to do so for the next four years until he won.

*****

Mihael blinked tiredly. Rick had gone away for the weekend to visit his family's graves and no matter how much the ten year old screamed and yelled and cried, his manservant had left him. The first day, he had spent his entire day screaming at the staff for not being _good_ enough for him. But only Ty understood that the boy was feeling lonely. The second day, Mihael had become increasingly tired. He sat in front of the tv with his blanket wrapped around him, the occasional tear falling down his face as he watched a marathon of some tv show for hours long.

Becoming increasingly worried, Ty had tried bringing him back outside, ignoring his constant complaints and cries. After a few minutes, Mihael and run off and hid in his garden, ignoring Ty and all the other servants who called him. He stayed their the entire night, hidden in a cage of thorns as the sun came up. When he woke up, he could still hear people calling him but none of the voices sounded like Rick.

Then again, Rick only spoke once when he searched for Mihael so the ten year old was unsure if the older man was out looking for him or not. Folding his arms, he stayed rock solid, ignoring the people who "cared" for him – apparently more than their own pay checks – because he didn't care about any of them.

In a few hours, he grew tense as he saw a figure crawl near the thorns.

"Mihael?" A wispy female voice called in a loud obnoxious voice. "Mihael!" Mihael rolled his eyes and stayed perfectly still as the woman crawled away. "He's not in the thorns. Look over by the pond and the tulips."

Mihael shook his head and waited, watching the sun disappear over the edge. Preparing himself for sleep, he laid his head down on the grass, jumping as he heard the voice of someone he had not spoken to in years.

"If the boy ran away Ty, its on your head." Mihael's father commented loudly as he walked by the thorns.

"Yes sir." Ty answered quietly.

"Find him by tomorrow or your fired and I'll have you deported by the police. Got that?" Ty must have nodded because his father's feet disappeared. Mihael instantly felt a pang of guilt as Ty trudged back towards the house. But his anger overwhelmed the guilt as he closed his eyes and allowed darkness to envelope him.

The next dawn, Rick stood in the garden, telling everybody to go back inside as he would continue the search on his own. Everyone complied silently, hoping that their faith in this man would keep them from being fired. As soon as the door closed, Rick walked through the pathway, staring up at the trees instead of looking for Mihael. Although the man was quite composed and a calm sort of person, he found himself annoyed with Mihael's stubborn behavior. The boy would certainly need to be straightened out and punished for spending three days outside and not respecting his wish to see his family.

And the boy was smart enough to understand the need for a family. Even if he didn't have one himself.

After a few minutes, he closed his eyes and listened, knowing that if Mihael was out here, he would surely be asleep. But that didn't mean he would be impossible to find. Instinct pushed him forward and he continued to walk mindlessly, stopping infront of a rose bush. _Too small for him_ Rick thought. He walked behind the rose bush and climbed into a clad of thorns, ignoring the sharp thorns pressing into his skin. Sighing, he continued crawling forward, seeing the ten year old curled up into a ball.

Grabbing Mihael's arm, he shook the boy awake, who turned and stared at him in surprise. "Come Mihael." Rick called as he began to crawl back out. Brushing the dirt off of his pants, he stood up waiting for the boy to exit. A few minutes passed, Rick became fed up and was about go back in when he saw the blonde crawl out.

Mihael was covered in dirt and scratches decorated his body. His usually straight hair was a mess and his clothes were ripped and disheveled. Before Rick spoke, Mihael walked up to the man and punched his stomach.

"Why did you leave me Rick? I don't understand why your such a hypocrite!" Mihael screamed at him, hitting him again. Rick grabbed the boy's hands and held the boy's hands and sat down on the floor in front of him.

"Mihael, no matter how important you are to me, my family – bless their souls – are the most important people in my life. I rarely get to see them and I don't think your being fair." Mihael's face turned bright red as he struggled against Rick so instead, he settled for kicking his knee.

"You idiot! Your the one whose not being fair!" Rick felt himself freeze against the boys words and became slightly angry. "If I hadn't come out here, you would never have known that your family is not dead! Because I'm your family Rick! I'm always here! I waited outside for you everyday for you to find me, to make your way back to me! Because no matter how many times I hide, you'll always make your way back to me, back to the one you care about. You say your family is important which means I'm the most important person in your life!" Rick blinked, unable to understand.

"Why were you out here?"

"I was waiting to find you. And you were late." Rick watched the boy fall down on his knees, crying and sobbing as he latched onto Rick possessively. Mihael had found Rick, even when the man couldn't find himself. And Rick found his family, wrapped up in the beautiful soul of a ten year old blue-eyed crying angel.


	5. False Hope Makes Us Naive

**so this chapter is very...horrible. ull c why. its very depressing & it makes me hollow inside. :( also, there's no mello in it, only matt. the next chapter will be all mello, no matt 2 even it out. im not reely sure how old mail/matt is in this but i would have 2 say about 13 or 14. either 1 of those 2. ill let u guys kno in the next ch. if this one hasnt scared u off. so yeah...try 2 enjoy. the next chapter will b a lot bttr, i promise. a lot longer 2 so pleez 4giv wut i had 2 do....review pleez.****also, theres 1 part of the story where it has ~ "writing" ~ those 2 signs & wutevers being thought. those signs r mail in the present which we eventually catch up w/near the end of this ch.**

*********

This had to be the worst day of Mail's life. Worse than the time his crack-head mother had violated him, worse than the time he had fallen off the roof, worse than all of the horrible things his father had done to him.

Mail was out "getting food" and he had gotten caught. The security guards were on top of him like rocks as he felt the life literally being squeezed out of him. After his hands were successfully cuffed behind his back, he was lifted off the concrete floor and carried to an abandoned room within the store for interrogation until the police arrived. Mail snorted every time the police asked a question. They didn't give a flying fuck about _his_ kind before so why would they listen to him if he told the truth?

So he stayed silent. The police stayed calm during the majority of the questioning, although two of them had slapped him up a few times for being "ignorant" but it was nothing Mail wasn't used to.

But that wasn't the worse part. It got so much more terrible and horrifying that it kept Mail awake at night for days. After the questioning had finished his father entered the room. Mail gasped as his father ran over to him and.....

Embraced him.

"Oh god Mail....I was so worried." Mail froze at the words, his mind unable to comprehend what was going on. _I was so worried._

"D...dad....." Mail whispered, his voice cracking. His heart pounded in his chest as his father stroked his back in a comforting manner. Mail eventually felt the numbing pain leave his body as he _hugged_ his father for the first time in his life. And it felt wonderful...to feel safe and protected and warm in someone's arms. Wonderful.....and beautiful. Mail felt tears prick the back of his eyes. This couldn't be happening......

Could it?

No.......

_Yes._

Eventually, his father stood up and walked over to the officers, speaking to them in an embarrassed tone. Mail eyed his father, noticing how cleaned up and well groomed the man looked. It surprised him greatly. The police walked over to Mail and took off the handcuffs, escorting the boy outside to his father's car. He watched them walk over to the tree where Jojo was and laughed as they attempted to bring the dog to the car. Smiling, he turned around to look at the dog who was now lounging comfortably on the entire back seat. He scratched the dog's chin and jumped when his father climbed into the car, slamming the door as he waved to the officers.

"Dad I-"

"Shut up." ~_Mail shook his head at the memory, hugging himself as he grabbed another towel to clean up the blood....._~ Mail froze as his father locked the car doors and sped off in the direction of their home. _I'm such an idiot_, Mail thought. _I'm so stupid. I'm so naïve. I'm so-_

"Get out of the car." His father growled. Mail climbed out and walked towards the door, watching his father tie Jojo's leash to the tree in their yard. Swallowing, he lowered his head as his father unlocked the door and pushed him inside, tearing off the boy's shirt.

"You stupid-" Mail was knocked to the floor. "-stupid-" Tears fell down as his pants were pulled off. "-boy." Mail yelped as he was dragged by the hair to the bathroom and left on the cold tile floor. A few moments later, his father returned with a spiked belt in hand. "I have to pay a fine for what you did Mail."

WHACK!

Mail's eyes widened in shock. His whole back convulsed as the belt came down on his skin, leaving the biggest scar his body had ever endured.

"Five hundred dollars wasted!"

WHACK!

Mail screamed.

"You fucking little bitch."

WHACK!

Everything turned bright white. Everything burned.

WHACK!

"You-"

WHACK!

"-should-"

WHACK!

"-be-"

WHACK!

"-dead."

WHACK!

_Naïve._ The word ran through Mail's empty mind. _Naïve_.

WHACK!

Mail's POV  
I'm s-so _naive_.

WHACK!

For a little while, I thought dad might actually love me.

WHACK!

Everything might have changed.

WHACK!

He would hug me like that more and more because he was so _worried._

WHACK!

He would stop drinking and smacking my face and hitting me and kicking me-

WHACK!

-and drive me to and from school instead of leaving me at the curb.

WHACK!

He would play with me.

WHACK!

He would feed me.

WHACK!

He would love me.

WHACK!

I almost thought....I almost believed

WHACK!

that someone like me

WHACK!

could be loved.

WHACK!

_He's never hit me this hard_.

WHACK!

Maybe I'll die.

WHACK!

_No._

WHACK!

He hates me too much to put me out of my own misery.

WHACK!

For just a few minutes.....

WHACK!

I thought everything could change.

WHACK!

But everything's falling apart as always.

WHACK!

I'm like fool's gold.

WHACK!

False hope.

WHACK!

I think Jojo's crying. But I can't tell anymore.

WHACK!

My ears have stopped working.

WHACK!

I can't even hear the blows anymore.

WHACK!

I can't see either.

WHACK!

Or feel.

WHACK!

WHACK!

WHACK!

WHACK......

"Clean up the blood."


	6. Sweet Little Mello's Black Heart

**im so so so so so so so so so sorry it took me so long 2 update. i kno im terrible, i even had a an extra day last week 2 write but being the obssessed anime/actor fan that i am.....well im sure u can figure out the rest. but here's the chapter i promised. b4 u read it tho read this little tidbit i wrote about the actual chapter:**

**my opinion: the beginning of this chapter was fun. in my mind, i imagined all of the characters sorta "tango" dancing w/each other. i originally wrote the first few parts up until rick left in my journal but stopped 4 some unknown reason. now later in the chapter - not revealing anything here - u c 2 sides of mihael/mello that are very important. u also c the birth of "mello" in a way. but back 2 the 2 sides, only rick knows everything about mihael, which is why he is able 2 understand how mihael can bcum so strong & then so weak instantly. so enuff of my drabble, pleez enjoy this delayed chapter!**

*******  
**

Mihael tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk, ignoring the perturbed look on Rick's face. Crossing his legs, he enjoyed watching the way his leather pants clung to his slim body hungrily. The entire outfit he had chosen for himself would definitely get the attention he deserved. Although Rick had certainly given Mihael his opinion several times throughout the entire car ride to Ezphesus. But no matter how important his manservant was to him, he did not nor would he ever rule Mihael.

The master's word was law; the servant's opinion was never spoken aloud. Not that Rick minded. The manservant wasn't Mihael's dog because he didn't have a choice. For some odd reason, he wanted to be Mihael's most precious possession.

The door opened and Mihael turned, his sharp eyes zeroing in on the principal's beady eyes. This man didn't seem to have the stamina to run such a prestigious school for teenagers year after year. But to Mihael's rare surprise, this man was not the principal, but merely _her_ assistant. Behind the fat bug-eyed man was a slender red-head with catlike eyes and sensual lips. Mihael raised an eyebrow as she smiled welcomingly to Rick and even shook his hand, which seemed so unlike her strong appearance.

She turned away from Rick and walked over to her desk, sliding into her chair while grabbing a manila folder with KEEHL, MIHAEL typed out on the front. She flipped it open and took out a pair of glasses, letting them rest on the tip of her nose.

Although her actions were very subtle, Mihael felt himself grow slightly attracted.

"Mihael Keehl, age fourteen, a straight-A student, majoring in German, Sports, and Astrology, excelling at Latin, Calculus, and Art, even without the tons of money your parents have, you could easily make it in here on several scholarships." She looked up at Mihael, a smile forming on her lips. "We would love to have you here Mihael. All of the teachers and I all believe you'll be a great asset to our school. All that's left is an interview with me and a test that is mandatory for all students entering, and we'll let you and your family know if your 'Ezphesus' material." Mihael smiled showing off his white teeth to the principal. What she didn't understand was how charming and frightening the young teenager could really be.

"Will you be interviewing Mihael now?" Rick asked curiously. The principal pursed her lips and spun around once in her chair. Rick could sense something threatening about this woman so he stood up and walked over to Mihael. But Mihael thought otherwise. As his eyes narrowed and focused, he noticed how two of the buttons on her shirt had been undone while she spun around in her chair, showing off a black lace bra.

"If he's ready." She said, pulling off he glasses slowly. Squeezing Mihael's shoulders, Rick left the room, eyeing the strange female one last time before shutting the door. "Thank god that prick is gone." Mihael felt his insides freeze as the woman walked over to the door and locked it. He spun around angrily, standing in a defensive position.

"Too bad your still here hag." Mihael growled, feeling the atmosphere around him grow tense. _What the hell is going on here?_ Instead of hearing her scowl or curse, the woman laughed, holding her sides. Mihael backed into her desk, wondering if he was about to be attacked. The woman approached him slowly as if creeping up to a frightened animal. With one swift movement, she undid the rest of her shirt and grabbed Mihael's hair, catching him off guard by throwing him on the floor.

"What are you-" Mihael brought his leg up underneath hers, tripping her so she fell on top of him. Her wild curls fell on his face and she blinked.

"I said I was going to interview you." She said with a calm voice. "I hope you studied." Mihael watched the woman undress from on top of him, his mind too confused to comprehend what was going on.

"Why me?" He asked, grabbing her hands before she could take off his shirt. She smiled, before leaning into kiss Mihael's forehead.

"I like 'em young, rough, and _fresh. _Think of this as...your initiation. No one resists if they want to make it in..." She purred, finally able to take off Mihael's shirt.

Shrugging, Mihael flipped the women on her back so he could slide his own leather pants off. He watched her strip the rest of her clothes from underneath him, the insides of his body lighting up like a match. His hands wrapped around her waist as he kissed her soft skin, making his way up to her breast. He bit and licked and tugged at the small skin there, listening to the moans erupting from her center. He let one hand come up to caress the breast, pushing his thumb down on her nipple as he licked the area around the other.

The feeling was new and so much different than the way Rick would touch him. His manservant held him in a loving embrace, caring for him when he was hurt, cleaning him, picking him up when he hit rock bottom. But touching this.....this woman was entirely different. Never before had he been this close to a person's heart and never before had he been filled with such want and lust and desire.

He craved and he would covet. His skin so close to hers that their sweat was intertwined. He continued to rub and touch her, his mind anxious and clouded by her voice. For the first time in a long time, Mihael had become a puppet, controlled by the sweet, illustrious spell of her moans and gasping. The passion was too much for Mihael to handle; he felt as if he would burst.

But he could not escape form inside of her. She would not let him.

A cry escaped his lips, one he did not recognize. Hoarse but unfilled with tears. Powerful yet so overcome with weakness. She smiled and dug her nails into his back, listening to that powerful cry echo from the boy's mouth.

Mihael collapsed on the floor, staining the floor with blood and semen. He panted heavily, wanting to escape from the trap she had encaged him in. But she was not done yet. She grabbed him hard, making him cry out, licked the semen off of his hips and eventually off his member, sucking and biting at the skin with a strong hunger. Mihael grabbed her arms and tried desperately to pull her off of him. The experience was enjoyable, even now, but he had enough. The aftershock of the situation was finally kicking and the pain was coming tumbling down on him. It was as if he were being crushed and suffocated, without anyway to cry out for help. And all he wanted to do was go home and find refuge in Rick's safe protective arms.

But he couldn't tell Rick this...could he?

Letting out last cry he tugged her shoulder slightly forward, bringing his knee up and into her shoulder. Finally the woman stopped sucking and climbed off of Mihael, leaning against the desk tiredly. Forcing himself up, he climbed over to his discarded clothing, struggling to pull on his shirt as he collapsed. Smiling, she stroked his hair, crawling over to him and helping him button his shirt. He looked up at her with tired and angry eyes but their was not a hint of regret to be seen, just felt.

"_Sweet little Mello, laying on his back, with a head that's yellow, and a heart that's black."_ She hummed, pulling up his leather pants.

"What's your name?" He asked in a weak voice, his mind blanking.

"Mahogany. Now get up and clean up so your butler doesn't see you like this."

*********

The ride home was unbearable. Rick kept asking him questions about the interview while Mihael had no answers to give. He didn't have enough time to think of a few white lies so instead of answering confidently like Rick expected him to do, he burst into a fit of tears, his mind shutting down completely and his body shaking horribly.

As they stopped by the house, Rick immediately carried Mihael into the house, bringing him upstairs and laying him down on the bed. Rick quickly left the room, causing Mihael to start sobbing once more until the manservant returned.

Rick carefully picked Mihael up, knowing how _frail_ the boy's psyche was. As he carried Mihael into the bathroom, a gnawing feeling at the back of his mind told him that this was not the result of the interview or test, but something else. And just what so disturbing about that principal?

Mihael's fist met Rick's cheek as he undressed the boy, confusion setting in: this was very unlike Mihael. He grabbed the boy's fists and instead of pulling off his pants, he helped Mihael climb into the tub, half dressed as he sunk deep into the water, unable to hide his bleeding back.


	7. Bleeding In The Dark

**I was in a coma for 4 weeks and I didn't have my laptop with me. That's the exact reason why I could not write to you all. *Bull shit bull shit* I've been busy w/life in truth & im sorryh this chap. is short but the next 1 will be longer bcuz i will be working on it 4 the rest of the week. also, ill make updates happen faster bcz like i said b4 been busy. good news is tho, made up w/my best friend so now my inspiration 2 write is back! :D bad news is...my bro & dad r being pms bitches. wut else is new? so enuff babble, pleez enjoy this much delayed chapter. **:3

*********

"Well aren't you something special." Mello hissed envelope the secrets that never left the had never been good in school, but then again he never tried. So even though he had all the potential in the world, he preferred not to waste it on something so pathetic...like his unfunded middle school.

But all of that was about to change. Tapping his fingers impatiently, he waited for the principal of the high school Ephesus to interview him, so he could show her that he was just as good as all of the other rich snobs who went there.

Sighing, he pulled down his goggles, hoping that the dark circles under his eyes had miraculously disappeared, as he heard the door behind him unlock.

He suddenly felt very nervous as a tall red head waltzed into the room, with all the confidence in the world. Now he wished he had brought his dad with him instead of coming alone – or at least steal some better looking clothes to wear underneath his army jacket.

"Mail Jeevas, its quite a pleasure to meet you."

"I guess." He muttered, slouching deeper in his seat.

_Crap, I should have answered with something like 'the pleasure is all mine' or some shit like that. I'm trying to make an impression on these rich snobs even if I'm not one.....wait why should I care? They're no better than me. Fuck, whoever said lying to yourself made you feel better should burn in hell._

"So I'll just get straight to the point Matt."

"Its Mail."

"Does it really matter?" She snorted. Mail felt his fists clench, knowing perfectly well that he was calling him shit. "Do you know why I agreed to this little meeting?" The only thing Mail could manage to do with confidence was look her straight in the eye.

"Not really."

"Your grades are poor as well as your status. You hardly seem interested in being here and have zero enthusiasm." Mail Shrugged. "But your test scores are absolutely phenomenal. Especially for someone your age. FCAT, SAT, entry exams, midterms, finals, quizzes, tests, its all...amazing. You have me in shock here." Mail felt a small smile tug at his lips.

"Thanks."

"You do however require a scholarship for entry since your not part of the upper class. And with the grades you've received, I don't see any possibility of that happening." She answered smugly, closed the file as if ending the conversation. "You may go now."

"Wait wait wait! Hold on, just let me explain myself. My grades are shitty and I'm poor! I know that too! But I didn't care about my middle school, I care about making it here!" Mail's hands were gripping his seat as the principal stood up, walking towards him slowly. "Please give me a scholarship! I'll take all the tests you want me to and I'll do all the homework and I'll do anything you want! Just please-"

"Shhhh." Mail blushed as the woman sat on top of him, sliding her hands underneath his black shirt. He felt his breath hitch as their noses touched and a warm breath kissed his lips.

"Anything I want?" She asked innocently, letting her tongue trace the shape of his lips.

"I-"

"Stop talking." And he complied to the silence. He let himself drop to the floor and be stripped down, crying out as she rubbed and scratched the scars on his back.

"No! Stop!"

"No." She whispered. "Not yet." With one swift movement, she reached over her desk and pressed a button, letting the lights go out as red hair entangled with red like blood oozing from a cut and allowing the darkness to envelope the secrets that would never leave the room.


	8. Captured Image

**So here's my update! faster than i expected & much longer 2. & for the 1st time evr, u get 2 read what goes ion inside Mihael's head - when he's not pmsing. So review this & i will update sooner like i promised. :D this chapter was super fun 2 write so i hope u guys enjoy that as much as i did.** :3

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"Mahogany...that's a pretty name." Mail whispered, blowing out a puff of smoke from his nose. Sighing he slid back against her body, burying himself in the crook of her neck.

"I didn't know you smoked. Your pretty young." She commented lightly, lighting two cigarettes and handing one to Mail.

"I don't. First time actually." He smirked and stubbed the old cigarette on the carpet before taking the new one. "And you're a little old to be raping incoming students."

"Its not rape if they're willing. And they always are." And Mail did not doubt that. Coughing a bit, she sat up, leaning her body back against the desk. "And I wouldn't call me old if I were you. I would be doing anything to please the one in charge. You did want that scholarship right?" Mail's smile disappeared but he nodded, letting his hand caress her cheek.

"Your right of course. I'm sorry." Lies. More lies. What's said is said and regret nothing. _Like my father_ Mail thought bitterly. _Except he regrets having me. _

"Are you?"

"Yes. But you don't believe me, do you?"

"Not quite."

"I thought so. But...I still get the scholarship?"

"Why dear Mail, all in do time. Right now, I'm a little sore and would love a massage." Mail bit back a comment and threw his ashy cigarette to the side as he got on his knees and rubbed her shoulders slowly.

*********

Mihael searched through the box with as much excitement as a young boy at Christmas. He pulled out a brand new Ephesus laptop, new school books, a mandatory pack of books to read for his language classes, an I.D. and other essentials sent to him for school.

"Hey Rick?" Footsteps echoed behind him and stepped closely near him.

"Yes sir?"

"Take this to my study and plug all the technology in, straight away."

"Yes sir." Rick bowed his head and took the box carefully, carrying it up the two flights of stairs. Sighing, Mihael pushed himself up off the floor and walked into the sitting room, waiting impatiently for Rick to return.

Mihael's POV

I wish it didn't have to be this way. Because when everyone's watching, I must keep up an image. Living up to my father's expectations so no one's disappointed.

Not even Rick.

So when people are passing through the Keehl's home, pretending to mind their own business when really, they are always watching.

For what, exactly?

A flaw. No, that's not right. _The_ flaw that will destroy the man-made image created and make an utter fool out of me.

And I am not a fool.

Basically, to treat someone like with Rick with respect is like a great faux pas, no matter how important he is to me. Because nobody cares about my feelings, just my status. And for someone like him to treat me like a servant's son would earn my father's fury – if word got out.

So I am the master, he is the dog, and that is what everyone sees. And the hidden language of looks shared between us, saying "I'm sorry" or "Please" or "Thank you so much" in silence.

That's all I ever can do, for him.

Four knocks came from the door, a signal that only Rick knew and was allowed to use. A sign – not silent nor spoken – that we were alone and not being watched just to be safe.

"Its Rick sir. I've brought you your afternoon tea." The door opened and in came Rick, holding a tray of tea and chocolates for me. He kicked the door close and placed the tray on the table in front of me.

"You know what I hate Rick?" I asked quietly, dropping the strength in my voice.

"What's that, Mihael?" He asked, currently focused on preparing the crap tea that dad insisted I drink.

"What do I hate Rick?" I repeated, rubbing my aching temples.

"Dogs, frogs, and spiders. Your parents and classical music." He listed instantly, smiling at me.

"You sure do know me." I laughed wholeheartedly, taking the cup that Rick handed me. "But that's not what I meant."

"Tell me what you mean then. I'll listen." This made me smile. Its not every day in my life that someone wants to listen to me rant.

"I hate people. The only reason we interact is to break hearts."

"I don't necessarily agree with that." I felt my eyes roll and motioned him to sit down, taking a long gulp of the drink.

"Sure you do. One day, you'll leave me to work for someone else and I'll be left alone. Or if that doesn't happen, then you'll fall in love with someone else and leave me for a family. Or if that doesn't happen, then you'll die before me and leave me all alone. Ergo, a broken heart." Rick smirked but shook his head.

"Your awfully morbid today. And that is absolutely not true. Because one, you are the only one I would ever work for in my entire life. Two, I could never fall in love when I have to take care of someone who needs love in the first place, and three, I die the day you die, no sooner no later."

"You say that now but just wait. You'll go back on your word." Its a depressing subject true, but we speak of this in such a strong joking manner. Odd.

"I bet you I won't."

"And what is your wager?"

"My hands, my head, my heart. Everything. And your wager?"

"My life." It shouldn't be funny. But I can't stop myself from laughing. Because Rick makes life funny. Even if he's serious.

"Master Keehl? Are you in there?" I snorted and motioned for Rick to assume a proper position as one of the maids entered, her high heels clacking loudly against the wooden floor as she hurried over to me.

"What is it Janine?"

"Its Marie."

"Whatever."

"Sir, there is a guest waiting for you outside in the main hall. He is a student at Ephesus and his family has been invited to dine with you and your family tonight." She said as properly as she could.

"Wh-what?" I sputtered. "First of all, I know no one at Ephesus and I never invited a family. And who gave anyone permission to invite someone I do not know? And how are they supposed to dine with my family when my parents aren't even here?"

"That's just the thing sir. Your father's back in town."

"For a dinner?"

"Yes."

"A fucking dinner?" To make himself look good? For connections? Not even to say hi. Not even to check on me. Of course. I shouldn't expect any less.

"Yes."

"Leave. Now." The maid exited the room just as I screamed out in frustration. "God fucking dammit!" Rick looked at me with sad eyes.

"Mihael, you said the Lord's name in vain." This made me want to laugh. And cry. And scream. Because good ol' Rick isn't fucking religious. At all.

"I don't care Rick. Damn. Do you know how long he's here for?" Rick looked uneasy for a moment before snatching a chocolate bar and handing it to me, no doubt to calm me down.

"A week or two." I bit into the chocolate angrily, waiting for him to continue. "Meeting with other families going to your school. Making an impression-"

"Whoa wait a minute. Back up." That's not right. "He walks into a room and everyone thinks he's a god. He doesn't need to make an impression. What's he trying to pull?" Rick sighed. "You know?" A small nod. "Tell me."

"You'll be mad." I snorted.

"I'm already mad. So just tell me!"

"He specifically told me and the staff to act as if he's been on a simple business trip. That he hasn't been gone for the majority of your life, traveling the world and that instead he's been-"

"Taking care of me." Making an impression to the families. That the prodigy child of the prodigy father is being taken care of. A major boost of status and character.

What a fucking ass hole.

"I suggest you get ready-"

"Get out." Rick looked taken aback.

"Mihael," He said in a quieter tone. "If you want I'll-"

"Shut up! I said get out! Wait outside my room from me until further instruction!"

"Yes sir." He said dryly, exiting the room.

Sir. _Sir_. Since when did I become a _sir_? Has time really escaped me so fast? Before my very eyes? Have I really been so caught up in the image that I've forgotten to keep myself from being changed?


	9. Holiday Thanks

**merry christmas evrybody! :D**

**now if any of u hav looked at the bottom of my profile, right above the stories, then ull kno that some of these stories i put on hold & some i didnt. but im putting this little update on all of my stories 2 show how happy i am that someway or another, u guys, girls, & aspiring writers made my day by favoriting a story or subscribing to it or even putting me as ur fav. author. :) i kno how gr8 it feels 2 just c ppl supporting ur story, even in the smallest ways & its gr8 2 feel recognized. so my little christmas present 2 u guys is this little thank u note & putting down all of the names of the ppl who hav supported my stories in some way or another:**

_**IKilledMisa, queenclara00, Slimmeh, ginniirox, Shinra'sCrazyTurk, Lady Bacon, EmoVampireRiska, Maykitty, IndifferenceToSociety, TheBeautifulLie, sugarsuicide, snappygirl, RowdyRomantic, Swamp Fairy, Neal, angelsgirl116, whateever, mrshodgins, hale23:), Swamp Fairy, palemoon, sweets3, Kassiebabie, NCISaddict77, Superhero11, NCISaddict77, Endless Raindrops, Girl-In-Denim, EmoVampireRiska, LuvGibbs, TeamJacob55Emi, Water Droplets, ReonRewan, kristieallan, kac33912, Sycamore13, nmilliner, crystalrose16, everytimeyoulookatme, scharlisangel12, doulike14, mobbs fellow, Kyoko1990, EMT official, amjackson25, wallflower009, CrazyChick123, BlondieBubbles, JasmineGreenTea, twilight charmer, XxLaydee-PreciousxX, forget-me-not-x, Darkria, , icecreamx3, sky007999, nannie girl, ShinigamiMailJeevas, mikoofdoom, Lucifaera, TimelyExit, jinnabun, Shadow Dancer666, wammy's agent Seeker, Fundibulous teh Zohan, Eon Manic, Sweetheart5793, xzombieViolinistx, Maura Keehl, Suki Nightstar, Sweetheart5793, Teh Definition of Epic, Moonlight and Music, NaruSasuGaaItaFangirl, snappygirl, wolfspeaker01, Hikari Yagami543, Sonar, demondragonRei, Ill give flowers-for your life, twilight22lover, vampeyes, Evermore11, Breakingdawn333, justagirl520, cherry-s-twin, EmoVampireRiska, fangirl627, CoolCat98, shisoma, ReonRewan, sunnyDemi, and brighteyes343.**_

**also, some very special thanx 2 a few of u:**

_**breakingdawn333-u were the 1st frend i made on this site :D & im reely glad ur helping me co-write the loving divide (which is on his profile) & u were also the 1st 2 fav. me as an author! XD**_

_**hikari yagami543-u were the 1st person who reviewed my very 1st story. when i 1st saw it, i felt so happy. :)**_

_**demondragonRei-u were the 1st person 2 favorite a story.**_

_**IKilledMisa-u were the 1st person 2 subscribe 2 a story.**_

**so guys, i hope u all hav a gr8 christmas/chanukah/kwanza. evn if u dont like celebrating w/ur family, talk 2 a frend, write a little story, watch movies, pig out, break all ur windows w/the music on full volume, just hav fun. :) im posting this on all of my stories so evry1 can c it & how happy uve made me. thanx!**

**-possessed4evr**


	10. Gambling Emotions

A/N: Well I updated. Finally right. Just letting you guys know that since summer is coming up, I'll be updating a lot more now. I've come up with more ideas for this story so it will definitely come along a lot faster. And if you guys are wondering when I'll update, go to the bottom of my profile and just check it out if you want to know. :) So I hope everybody likes this chapter, thanks to everybody who reviewed/favorite/alerted the story. Please review so I can here your opinion. And I bet you guys are wondering when Mihael and Mail are going to meet right? Well, its going to be next chapter.......:D By the way, the time line is sometime in May, before school is over ironically enough and then the last Mail part is two weeks later, in June I think when school is out.

* * *

Mihael sighed exhaustedly, swearing to himself that he would make this night a living hell for his father. He doesn't deserve all this money he thought. _He's a selfish greedy bastard who needs to die._ Mihael took another deep breath to relax himself and wish he had something to drink. Time to go downstairs: now or never.

"Rick, you can come in now!" He yelled, a little louder than needed. The large glass door opened and in walked Rick with a silk towel. Mihael griped the sides of the glass railing and climbed out of the shower. Rick wrapped the towel around him silently, making sure he was dry before leading him to his room. Mihael had never minded being naked in front of Rick. He was such a loving fatherly figure that he couldn't even consider being embarrassed with him. But Rick seemed mad about before. Well....maybe not mad. Disappointed maybe. Rick never got mad. He was more of the silent type, talking to others only when it was necessary.

In a lot of ways, Rick would be the better candidate as an heir than himself. Rick was calm and collected; he had street smarts and a good sense of logic. Mihael may be a genius and knows how to handle money, but his temper definitely gave him some serious problems. Mihael shook his head, spraying water on the floor. Rick helped him pull on a sleek leather outfit - one of Mihael's favorites - and a pair of boots his father had no doubt picked. He stepped in front of the mirror, examining the outfit before he turned to Rick.

"How do I look?" Rick pursed his lips, folding a pile of clothes before walking over to look at Mihael. After a few moments, Mihael felt his patience wearing thin. He's doing this on purpose. Making me wait....

"I think a suit would look better." Rick finally answered.

"Why?"

"You would look more mature."

"Who says I'm not mature?" Mihael accused. Rick shrugged and adjusted his own tie.

"Your father." His eyes narrowed.

"Well you shouldn't listen to ass holes like him." _Then why is he talking to me?_ Mihael shook his head. "Are you gonna stick around for dinner?"

"Do you want me to?" Rick was a crutch he never seemed to grow out of. Although it was dangerous to be so dependent on someone, Mihael figured Rick was his only exception.

"Yes." Rick smiled warmly. If Rick ever betrayed him, he didn't know how he could ever recover.

"Then I will."

* * *

Mail looked up at his dad in utter shock, then back at the machine.

"You want me to what?" Mail's dad hissed at him and knocked him back a few steps, looking around to see if anyone was listening to their conversation. Mail inwardly rolled his eyes. Nobody was paying attention to them. They were practically invisible. Nobody cared about _scum_.

"Keep it quiet, you never know whose listening." Mail's dad sounded breathy and for once nervous. Mail felt strange, hearing his father sound so insecure. Then again, what his father was telling him to do was just insane. Pure insanity. "I want you to cheat the machines. Your smart with numbers. You made it into that new school and shit. Just to make some extra money. You can start with the card games if you want. I'll split it with you; 30, 70."

Mail snorted and folded his arms. There was no way he was going to let his dad cheap him out. "40, 60. Or no deal."

His dad looked around once more, his eyes squinting and shifty. With a small nod, he turned and walked around the glowing machines, stopping finally at a card game. "Hey Sal, mind if my friend here joins?" His dad didn't want people to know that he and his dad were related when it came to the illegal stuff. That way, if he got caught, he would just blame it on Mail.

Sal was the dealer. There were two other guys sitting at the table. They didn't look anything special so Mail felt secure.

"Sure. Whats your name kid?" Mail swallowed and looked down at his feet, playing it shy. Fill them with false confidence, then go in for the kill.

"Mail." He muttered softly. The other guys snickered and his dad side-glared at him. "Are we gonna play or what?" He asked, ending the laughter. Sal looked at the two the gestured them to sit down.

"The game is 21. What are your bets?"

"200." His dad said, throwing two crumpled bills in the center of the table.

"150." Mail said, throwing the bills that his father shoved in his pocket moments earlier. Sal dealt the cards and Mail took them slowly, looking briefly at his father. He knew what he had to do. Don't screw up or you're screwed.

Mail looked at his cards. 10 and 5. Okay number, but not enough to win considering the odds. He looked over at everyone else, eyeing their faces carefully. No one looked entirely happy, but then again, he knew what a poker face was.

When Sal faced him, he took a deep breath and spoke "Hit me." A card was thrown in his direction. Mail almost hesitated but then looked at his dad, who glared at him again so he picked up the card.

5 of hearts. His lucky day.

"I got 17." One said.

"15." The other said.

"16." His dad said, turning to Mail expectantly. Mail looked at his cards then laid them out carefully.

"20." Mail tried not to smile as everyone glared at him. It was weird for him, to actually win something for once. Maybe he didn't have to steal food anymore. He could take care of himself and all he had to was win.

"Well well well Michael. Looks like this friend of yours has quite a hand at this game. Where'd ya pick him up?" Michael looked over at Mail and smiled.

"That's our little secret. Another round boys?"

20 Minutes Later

Mail reached for the money in the center for the sixth time and shoved it in his army jacket. It felt real good to put well-earned money in his pocket. He had played eight games of 21 with these guys and won the majority of the games. $2,350 in his winnings. And he wasn't even closed to finished.

After his dad had finally led him away from the table, Mail found himself longing for more. "Whats next?" Mail asked, trying not to act too excited around his father. Just because his dad was suddenly being nice to him didn't mean it was going to last. He had learned that from many painful experiences.

But surprisingly, his dad just smiled. It wasn't one of his usual twisted smiles, just a regular pleased smile.

"You pick." Mail looked around the bright casino, watching the lights flash all around him.

"There. The poker table." Mail began to walk forward but was pulled back roughly, feeling his dad's hot breath on his ear.

"You sure about this? I don't want to lose any of tonight's earnings." Mail nodded, for once in his life very confident of himself.

"Trust me. I can handle this."

* * *

Two Weeks Later

The Saint-Juste family owned a cruise line and were big stockbrokers in New York. They had been friends of the Keehl family for a long time, although Mihael had shown an obvious dislike towards all of them. Even Rick avoided the parents as much as possible. But there was one person in the family, just one that drove Mihael up the wall. His name was Oscar. And once again, he was coming to see Mihael and his father at dinner tonight.

"Mihael! I missed you man! How ya' been?" Jock, dumbass, and unable to understand words that contain more than five letters. That pretty much sums up Oscar in Mihael's head.

"Oscar......you've grown." Mihael muttered, ignoring the small nudge Rick gave him.

"I sure have. And trust me, I didn't use steroids. Wouldn't risk these." Oscar patting his groin. Oscar walked down the stairs, waving at the two before going into the dining room, leaving Rick and Mihael at the top.

"Help me..." Mihael begged, tugged at his jacket uncomfortably. "Tell them I'm sick. Or that I'm dying."

"Your father's already down there waiting. And so is the rest of the Saint-Juste family."

"Rick!" Mihael groaned.

"They're waiting Mihael. I promise, I'll try and sneak you out before the third course."

"Promise?"

"Of course." Rick smiled, squeezing Mihael's shoulder.

* * *

Meanwhile

Jojo sniffed at Mail's dangling feet, whining a little.

"Didn't dad feed you?" Jojo jumped up on his bed, shaking his body before plopping down next to Mail, resting his head on Mail's chest. Mail sighed and began to scratch Jojo's ears. Lately, his father seemed to be paying less and less attention to his dog and more attention to him. And Mail hated it. Being ignored meant being safe. No one could hurt someone they couldn't reach. But ever since his father had taken him gambling, he had gotten into drinking again. He kept Mail from going out more and more and now that it was summer, he was hardly allowed out of the house, except to make more money which he wasn't even allowed to keep anymore. He was forced to go every night and he was getting fed up of his dad's weird behavior.

And on top of all that, he was a violent drunk. The more things went bad for him - which they frequently did - the more he got abusive. Real fast. But his dad was a dirty bastard who swore he was trying to "save" money.

Mail was smart enough to know he was gambling his money. He just didn't want to spend anything on Mail.

But after summer was over, he would finally escape this hell hole and go to some fancy school that would give him a future. A good future to replace his bad past.

"Come on Jojo. Let's go get dinner." He tapped the mattress twice and Jojo immediately leapt up running out of the room, his nails scraping the floor. Mail smiled as he stood up, following the overactive dog into the kitchen. "What do you want Jojo? Chicken or beef?" The dog was much better company than his father. He walked over to the fridge, pulled out the beef and gave it a sniff.

"Okay we're eating chicken tonight."

"Yureating? Ineverthought I'd seethe day." Mail closed his eyes. His hands began to shake slightly and he cursed himself. _Get a grip! Don't let him see you like this!_

"Dad......I thought you were going out." Jojo growled slightly but otherwise sat at Mail's feet.

"Answer me boy." His dad growled, falling against the wall. Mail's eyes widened slightly. He was really really drunk. Out of control.

"Okay." Mail said uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. He looked down at Jojo and snapped his fingers, motioning for the dog to leave. Jojo whined a bit, moving himself closer to Mail's legs. "Go on boy." Mail whispered.

"Who're ya talking to?" Mail's father asked, lurching forward to grab Mail. Mail winced as his arm was squeezed painfully._ Got to go. Got to leave. Where do I go? I'm so confused!_

"No one..." Mail whispered, trying not to press buttons that would get his ass kicked.

"Hearing voices boy? Going crazy inyurhead? Toosmart foryur own good?" The slurring made it hard to understand him properly. Mail was already having a hard enough time staying conscious. Not enough food and rest for the past few days.

"Dad, stop you're hurting me-"

"Dad stop, yur hurting me! Dad stop!" His dad mocked, squeezing Mail's arms tighter. _God tell me I'm dead. Tell me I'm in the hospital with a brain tumor and this is just a side affect of the chemo. Oh my god, I have to get out of here! _Mail struggled against his dad's grip, grabbing one of the chairs and throwing it in his dad's direction. Unfortunately, he wasn't as strong as he hoped......

* * *

A/N: CLIFFHANGER!!!!!!! Bam! But no worries, I'll make sure to clear it up in later chapters.  
Actually, you sort of figure out a bit next chapter.....but yeah, you guys will see. I promise (for real, I swear) that I will be updating this story a whole lot more because I'll have a lot more time in June not so much in July cause I'll be in Europe but I promise I'll try. And remember, reviews will bring Matt and Mello inspiration. They are going to meet next chapter! :D


	11. Unlikely Meeting Pt 1

A/N: See? I updated! :D Lol, so hope you guys like this chapter. It is the chapter when *drum roll* Matt & Mello meet! If you want to know when I'm officially updating, remember to check out the bottom of my profile where it says **Next-To-Update**, and to see if I'm working on it or not, check out the place where it says stories.  
So Its been awhile since I've done Mail's POV but I felt inspired. This is my second try at ch.10. The original version was with Mello and Oscar in the third person, same place but it didn't work as well. Anyways, enough of me talking. Enjoy!

* * *

Mail's POV  
Everything is different now. I thought I could survive and that I could do anything. Well fuck, was I wrong. I only just barely got out of the house. Not a home. Fours walls and a roof. And Dad grilled me about leaving. Again. I swear, the only things that comes out of his mouth are threats.

I can't actually remember when he started getting paranoid. Maybe it was before or after the accident or maybe he was crazy this whole time. Its honestly not hard for me to believe.

He thinks I steal money from him at night. That every time I go out, I'm getting money from someone and I'm not giving it to him. Even when he's sober, he loses it more than when he's drunk. He needs help but...there's nothing I can do.

And now, more than ever, I need to get out. Its way too dangerous for me to stay here anymore. I can't wait until I'm eighteen like I originally planned out. I'll leave when I turn sixteen, just two more years. I'll make dad's worst fear come to life because I know more than anything that he can't handle being alone.

In reality, I'm all he's got. Even though he hates my guts, beats me up, fucks up my life in every way possible and yet, he needs me in his life. He's been just as alone as I have, as if he's passing on a tradition to me.

At least, that's my theory.

Theories are way more reliable than people. I guess that's a fancy way of saying I have no friends. Basically, theories are easy to control and you can dump them if they don't make sense.

Even though I strongly believe in my 'dad-gone-mad' theory, I have no way of proving it so I'll probably throw it away...god I'm such a nerd. Who the fuck did I get my genius from in the family gene pool?

Anyways, tonight is my night. I'm making my dad's worst fears come true. Take a few hundred bucks, go gambling, and save money for later. Cause if I'm gonna leave the house at sixteen, I am not going to live on the street. I'll buy myself a cheap apartment, get myself some actual food (and try to actually hold it down), and take care of Jojo more. Its the best kind of life scum like me can get.

End POV

As Mail climbed off the bus and stared at the giant building with glowing neon lights, a thought occurred to him. The BlackHawk Casino has such a good reputation, but its known for stealing more money than people give. _No one would really know_...It seemed efficient, quick and useful to Mail._ No credit cards cause those are too easy to track nowadays. Strictly wallets, just the cash, trash the rest._ Mail knew it wouldn't be very difficult considering where he was.

Besides, people lost money all the time. It wasn't his fault if he was just quickening the process. So Mail made his way through the crowd estimating that he had at least a good fifteen-twenty minutes before they started letting people in and he could probably get a good 5,000 dollars from the 'richies' before they even noticed their stuff was gone.

Mail was glad that he had his army jacket on; it was baggy enough to hold as much money as possible without it looking to bulky. Then again, security would lock on to him immediately, based on his looks. They always did. So he could only be there for a short while and if he needed to get out quick, he could always use the emergency exit.

Mail slowly approached the group of people standing outside the casino, ignoring the buzzing excited chatter of the young teenagers and the laughter of the much older adults. With a smile, he made his way over to the outskirts of the teen couples wrapped around themselves and to his amusement, they were drinking. So he pushed himself through the crowd, carefully sliding the wallets into his pockets and rushing away, surprised at how easy it was for him to just steal. And finally, the doors opened, inviting everyone into its warm atmosphere. Mail pushed himself to the front, ready to win some money before a strong hand grabbed him and pulled him back from the crowd, slamming him into the wall.

Tears sprung to his eyes and he cried out, feeling as though he were being strangled and choked. He eyed the tall man who held him against the wall, unable to control his pounding heart. Short dirty blond hair, sharp brown eyes, at least six feet four and _very_ very strong. Mail prayed to god this guy wasn't security or else he was screwed.

"Look here kid, I don't care what your business is with everyone else, but you do not take what's mine." _So he did see me. But I don't remember taking anything from him..._Mail thought as the man pulled out a leather wallet from one of his pockets. "I don't want to catch you here again. You hear me?" He asked in a warning tone.

"I don't have to listen to you." Mail said, unable to keep himself from choking on his words. He wasn't very good at comebacks. The man smirked and shook his head.

"Don't _fuck_ with me. I'm not to be messed with and-"

"Rick, stop raping people and get your ass over here." An angry voice yelled from a distance, which seemed to repel the man. _Sounds like the shriek of a banshee._

"Mihael, stop screaming, you sound like a girl." Another voice said, a much calmer, slower voice.

"Shut up Oscar." The first voice shrieked again. "Rick, what's going on?" Out of the corner of Mail's eye, a leather-clad much shorter blond came into view, arms folded and eye brows raised. "Find my wallet yet?" He asked as he eyed Mail with hate and digust. The man called Rick let go of Mail and turned the shorter blond, throwing him his wallet and backing away from Mail as if he were diseased. All three kept quite a distance from him, staring at him shaking against the wall.

"Do you want me to call the police?" Rick asked in a much calmer voice. For some reason - and much to Mail's interest - he seemed to be following whatever the teen said.

"No need, I don't waist my time with the poor." He commented lightly, laughing to himself before gesturing to the door. "Hurry up, I want to get some drinks before the bar closes."

"You're too young to drink." Rick chided, following the blond inside. Mail looked at the last guy called Oscar, who just stared at him with a curious expression. Mail stared at him back, feeling his cheeks turn bright red. He hated being watched so bluntly. Why couldn't he just leave him alone like the other two?

"What happened to your leg?" He asked. Mail looked down, waiting for him to leave and go into the bar. But he just stood there, staring with a dumb expression on his face. _How did he know? How could he have known about my leg? What went wrong?_

"I got into an accident." Mail finally said, shuffling uncomfortably.

"Well you should get that checked out." Mail wanted to laugh. Like he actually had the money to have a doctor like everyone else. "My dad's a doctor. Come on over or give me a call and I'll help fix up your leg, 'kay?" Mail eyed Oscar curiously. Why the hell was this guy acting so...nice to him? He didn't even _know_ him. Mail took the card from Oscar's hand and shoved it into his pocket.

"I...gotta go. See ya." Mail said, shuffling away and trying to make his limp not so obvious.

"See ya round." Oscar called as he walked back into the casino, searching for Mihael.

* * *

A/N: Not what you expected huh? And I gotta say myself, Rick is kinda scary when you don't see his nice side? And Mihael was pretty PMS-y. Oh well, I know you guys are going to love love love the next chapter. Either I'll make it super super long or I'll cut it in half. Let me know what you think. :)


	12. Unlikely Meeting Pt 2

A/N: I have been feeling soooo inspired lately that I wrote this lovely ten page long beauty. I have written this much since LAST summer, which says a lot. I for sure know I will be updating more and hopefully, I'll be able to finish this story before summer ends. but guys and girls, just remember that I'm going to Europe in July and part of August, so I'll update whenever I have signal. It will be close to impossible for me to update during junior year since it will be my toughest year but I'll try every once in awhile. So yeah.

* * *

The doctor's office was a very cold place and was almost completely white. Frankly, it scared the shit out of Mail. He had never had a doctor, much less seen a doctor's office so the whole experience was kind of freaky for Mail. When he first walked into the hospital, he felt invisible. There was crying and screaming in the distance, people running around and nurses walking around with blood-covered outfits. It was too much for Mail to take but before he even had a chance to escape, a man was standing at the door, blocking him from leaving.

Rick the bodyguard. Mail almost screamed when he saw the man, trying to scramble away. What the fuck was up with him? Was he stalking Mail? But instead of the dark threatening body guard he had been expecting, Rick was calm and gentle, even if his grip on Mail's arm was rock hard.

"Oscar is waiting for you. He asked me to personally escort you to your room." Mail was wishing he had stayed home. After Rick sent and left him in his room, he tried to make himself comfortable. He sat in one of the chairs, staring at the pictures on the walls and occasionally looking at the big clock by the door. After ten minutes of waiting, Mail stood up to leave, checking the hallway for any sign of Rick before leaving the room.

At least, he tried to leave before a large hand landed on his shoulder and yanked him back.

"Heya kid, where ya going?" Mail turned to look at Oscar, unable to stop staring.

"Where's your dad?" He asked in a quiet voice, looking down at his feet. He hated being looked at. He felt so self-conscious all of a sudden.

"He's busy with another patient but he says he'll be here in about a half-hour to give you a checkup. In the meantime, I'll be giving you an X-ray. Oh, by the way, I didn't catch your name." Mail wondered why he was still here. He didn't have to come. He didn't have to stay. Why on earth was he here in the first place?_ Its not like anything's going to change for me...I don't know what I'm hoping for._ But Mail followed Oscar to the elevator, told him his name, his age, and just the smallest bit about his home life: his mom left when he was two, he lived with his dad, and he had a dog named Jojo.

"Well here we are." Oscar said, opening the door to a dark hallway and leading him to a dark room, with a table in the middle and a giant machine above it. Mail laid himself down on the table as Oscar instructed him to do, staring curiously at the cold rubber mat placed on his leg. He lowered and directed the machine over to his leg, saying: "This is gonna take pictures of your leg and the mat is so you don't get hurt from the radiation."

Mail nodded nervously, trying not to throw feeling of just being in a hospital was sickening for him. He didn't feel comfortable at all being here, on top of a table as if he were being experimented. But thankfully, he wasn't put through any pain and the experience was over sooner than he expected. He practically jumped off the table when Oscar gave him the official OK, almost crashing into the female nurse who held the door for him and Oscar to walk through.

"Looking good Alicia!" Oscar called, waving at her. The nurse rolled her eyes and locked the door.

"Keep walking Oscar. Not interested." Alicia walked in the opposite direction of the two and Mail found himself confused.

"Was that a wedding ring on her finger?" Mail asked.

"Who cares. I'm so gonna tap that before school starts."

"Ugh...she's like thirty years older than you...and married."

"That's how I like my ladies: ancient and regretful." Oscar didn't make any sense to Mail. The guy wasn't smart, that much was obvious. Yet he knew how to use complicated machinery that Mail had never even heard of before. He was horny and acted like a douche but he - relatively - cared about people. So how would he label him? Friend or enemy? Would they even end up being friends?

Oscar left him alone in the same room again, leaving him to stare at the clock and think about his options. Was he going to leave the hospital, knowing he was going to get a small piece of his life back? Would Oscar realize he was just wasting his time with him and kick him out? Mail hated not knowing, being unprepared. He hated how much he had changed in such a short time.

A few months ago, he had been somewhat confident, able to talk to people without becoming incredibly shy all of a sudden. He felt he had proven something with his pyshco bitch principal Mahogany, who even slept with for god sakes, and now everything had changed. He didn't know how he was going to survive without backbone. He needed a boost, something to bring him back, but he just didn't know what.

"Mail Jeevas?" Mail looked up from where he was staring at, up at the man he presumed was Oscar's father. They certainly looked alike: dirty brown hair with the same short waves, olive complexion, and very fit figure. Mail stood up to shake the man's hand and met with a very tight grip.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Dr. Sainte-Juste, Oscar's father. I hope I haven't kept you waiting to long." Mail stared at the man, then looked at his feet, feeling his cheeks turn red. _Say something goddammit! He's waiting!_

But all Mail could come up with was a "Nuh-uh", followed by a deeper shade of red.

"Well that's a relief. I don't like keeping my patients waiting. So, down to business." He opened a small folder that Mail assumed to be his, even though he had never been to the hospital. "This is a nasty fracture you've got. Its like someone smashed your leg, then tried to jam the broken pieces back into place." Mail swallowed, hoping his expression wouldn't give anything away. _It was a bad idea to come here. I royally fucked up._ "Want to tell me how this happened?"

"I'd certainly like to hear." Oscar said, entering the room and taking a seat beside Mail. _I'm probably gonna be sent to some foster home or a rehabilitation center even. I shouldn't have come! I shouldn't have called!_

Both men were looking at him with expectant expressions on their faces. He had to lie, he just didn't know what to say. Time seemed to stretch uncomfortably on and after what seemed like an eternity, Mail whispered: "I had an accident."

Oscar and his dad shared a look and his dad wrote something dad. Mail knew he screwed up. He knew the police weren't gonna give a damn about him but if these people caused a scene...then anything could happen to Mail. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that." Dr. Sainte-Juste finally said. "Unfortunately, we can't put a cast on your leg in such bad condition and since we're not exactly clear on how it happened...I'm not sure there's much we can do." Mail swallowed and stared at the dirt marks on his worn out converse. If he stared at them long enough, he wouldn't cry. He wouldn't feel empty and he wouldn't feel stupid for hoping.

"Its fine. Ugh, I'm sorry for wasting your time." Mail said, standing up to leave.

"Wait a minute wait a minute, where do you think you're going? I'm not done here and you're certainly not wasting my time. Take a seat." Mail sat back down, surprised at how these people were speaking to him. They actually talked to him as if he were a human being. "As I was saying, there not much we can do but there is something we can try." Mail felt himself perk up almost instantly. He had become so used to limping as he walked, that he forgot what it was like to walk like someone normal. Maybe he could walk again... "There's this surgical procedure we can do. It hasn't been used many times before and is relatively new, but I can see it being very effective in your case."

Dr. Sainte-Juste gestured for the two to move closer to him and they did willingly, staring at one of Mail's X-rays. Mail found himself to be quite amazed, not just by looking at the inside of his leg, but at the fact that a machine had been able to do this. He had never been too interested in technology but this changed things for him.

The picture showed Mail's entire left leg. At the top of the femur, were shards of bone broken apart, where they were supposed to be attached to the hip joint. The patella also had some broken pieces, although Mail didn't remember getting hurt there. As a result of the damage, his tibula and fibula seemed to twist in an awkward direction, giving Mail chills whenever he looked at that area. _So this is what that bastard did to me._

"As you can see here-" He circled the top of the broken femur with a red marker. "-and here-" He circled the patella as well. "That the pieces have been spread so far apart due to walking without a brace for so long that they're basically trapped in that space, causing the limp. And because the top of your leg is so off track, this part right here-" He drew a rectangle around the tibula and fibula in black. "-has also been erratically altered. Are you following me here?" He asked Mail.

Obviously, this man was underestimating Mail's intelligence. Usually, Mail would have gotten upset but he knew that the older man didn't mean to disrespect him. So instead, he said, "Yeah I do", feeling more confidence than he had in a long time. "Keep going."

"The surgery I have in store for you has three major steps. The first step is we open up the leg and place these specially designed metal rings around the broken bone pieces and bring them back into place. Several will be attached to the hip joint, femur, and platella, to hold everything in place. Then, we sew you back up and place a cast on your leg for protection and so your leg can re-heal itself. So for the first month or so, you need bed-rest. No running around, nothing physical, just staying still and letting yourself heal." Mail, nodded feeling fear grip him in the throat. He knew that getting bed-rest meant someone would have to take care of him and he just knew his dad wouldn't even bother. "You'll also be given medication relieve the pain and to keep the rest of your body from over-stressing."

Mail nodded, wondering if it would be possible if he could stay at the hospital while he healed instead of at home. Then again, that would require money that didn't exist in Mail's life. "The second step is we bring you back and take off the cast, but leave the rings on. You'll be needing physical therapy in order for your leg to regain the ability to move and do other tasks. But no walking." He warned once again.

"And then finally, we'll take the old rings out and replace them with new ones so it'll be easier for you to move in them. We'll leave them in for about a year and take them out right after." It sounded so simple. So easy for him to do. He wasn't even worried about a place to stay or how long it would take, he just wanted his life back.

"I...I think I'd like to try it." Mail finally said, feeling his spirits rise. Dr. Sainte-Juste smiled at him and once again, Mail was blown away by his kindness. People weren't nice in real life, at least, they weren't supposed to be.

"That's really good to hear Mail." Dr. Sainte-Juste said, standing up with Mail and Oscar and leading them out of the room. "Just follow me into me office." The three entered Dr. Sainte-Juste's office and sat down around his desk. "So I want you to just look this over before you sign it, to see if everything's in order." Mail nodded and took the piece of paper, reading over it quickly and carefully.

Everything seemed perfect. Right up to the dotted line. Everything in his life seemed to be making sense. And then he saw one thing on the paper, one thing that made his heart stop, one thing that made him get up and run out the room as fast as he could.

* * *

"So he just got up and left?" Oscar nodded, taking another big bite of chocolate ice cream from his bowl. Mihael stared at him with a frown, waiting for him to continue.

"He just ran out. Without a word, without a sound. He looked like he saw a ghost." Oscar said, shoving more food into his mouth, before dropping his bowl on the ground. "Ahh brain freeze!"

"That's so weird!" Mihael finally said, placing his uneaten food down on the ground beside his lawn chair. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would he just...leave like that? He could have gotten better but he just ran away! What the hell!" Mihael said angrily. If he had hurt his own leg, he would have done whatever it took to fix it.

"It could be that he got cold feet. That sometimes happens to patients in hospitals. He seemed pretty freaked out you know."

"He didn't seem to have cold feet when he stole my wallet." Mihael snapped angrily.

"Honestly, I feel bad for him. He looks like he's got it tough."

"Oh don't act like you actually care. He's just some idiot who thinks he can play on stupid people's emotions and get away with it." He eyed Oscar carefully. "My point exactly."

"I'm gonna go talk to him. See if I can find out why he left." Oscar said standing up and pulling out his cell phone. "Do you know how to track numbers on this thing?" Mihael stood up and snatched the phone away from Oscar holding it behind his back.

"Hold up, are you seriously gonna try and find this kid just to get a fucking answer?" Oscar stared at Mihael, his eyes scrunched in deep thought. Eventually he nodded. "You don't even have a car dumbass. How do you expect to get anywhere without a ride?"

* * *

The neighborhood was one of the worst places Mihael had ever seen. It was like something you'd see in a movie, but only for a few seconds so you'd eventually forget about it. Mihael wondered how Oscar had managed to convince him into coming and Rick into driving them here. The number had been easy to track but the place was just a mess.

"I think that's the house." Oscar said, looking at his phone. "That's what the GPS says." Mihael took a deep breath, willing himself to get out of the car.

"Sometime this century Oscar." Mihael said, walking to the gate of the house. The place looked as if it were abandoned of all inhabitants. The color was a dull gray that was fading and peeling, the roof looked like it would melt if it got rained on, and the yard had giant patches of missing grass. Mihael opened the gate, wincing as it screeched open. Mihael took one step forward, turning to see if Oscar was behind him before walking to the door.

He knocked a few times, loud enough for someone to hear and took a step back. He hear some shuffling from inside the house and heard someone approach the door. The sound of locks being undone made Mihael frowned and he looked at Oscar with a confused look. Finally, the door opened just a crack, revealing a half-hidden face. Mihael swallowed, unsure of what to say so he nudged Oscar and pushed him forward.

"Um hi. I'm Oscar and this is my friend Mihael." Oscar said, feeling just as awkward as Mihael was feeling.

"Whaddya want?" The man asked in a gruff voice.

"I'm looking for Mail...does he live here?" The man stared at him for a few moments before closing the door in their faces. Mihael blinked back surprise. No one had ever slammed the door in his face. Ever. It just wasn't done. Mihael considered banging on the door again and cussing him out before the door reopened seconds later and Mail's face appeared. He stared at the two for a minute, before opening the door wider.

"Umm...hi." Mail said to Oscar.

"Hey buddy." He said, slapping Mail on the back. Before Mihael could even introduce himself, a giant hairy dog about half of his size leapt out at him and almost knocked him over.

"HOLY SHIT!" Mihael screamed, running through the yard with Jojo following him excitedly. Mail softly laughed and whistled as loud as he could, calling Jojo back to his own feet.

"Sorry 'bout that. You got him excited!" Mail said, scratching the dogs belly.

"I got him excited? He attacked me! I should sue!" Mihael said, brushing the grass off his pants. When Mihael walked back to the two, Mail pushed the dog back into the house and turned to the boys.

"Would you like to come in?" Mail asked nervously, turning to look over his shoulder before turning back to them. Oscar nodded and took Mihael's arm, dragging him into the house. Mail led them to the kitchen and offered them a seat, while he himself leaned against his counter uncomfortably. "So...is there anything you want?" Mihael looked over at Oscar and nudged him.

"Well Mail, I wanted to talk about what happened the other day..." Mail smiled, as if expecting this all along and crouched down on the floor stroking Jojo. "The surgery's not such a scary thing you know? And my dad's a very good doctor. He's operated on so many-"

"Tell your dad I'm sorry but I just can't." Mail interrupted quietly. "It has nothing to with being afraid, I just can't afford it." Everyone was quiet for a minute before Oscar smiled.

"Well, that's not a problem. I mean, you have insurance-"

"I don't." Mail said. "I don't have anything."

"There are things you can do, plans you can make-"

"I said no!" Mail almost yelled. "I don't think you understand! I don't have any money, I can't get any money, and there's absolutely no way I can pay $41,000!"

"Alright alright. We got it Mail." Mihael said, holding his hands up. "Lets just go Oscar. Sorry to bother you." He said, standing up and pulling Oscar up with him. Mail said nothing, just looked down at the floor. "We'll walk ourselves out."

Mihael led Oscar out of the house, practically dragging him away to the car. "I don't get it. He can start a fund, he can live on welfare, there are people who can help him."

"Legal reasons." Mihael said pushing past the squeaky gate towards the car. "He doesn't want to get caught up in the law. Its his choice."

"But its his leg."

"_His_ choice." Mihael emphasized, opening the car door and climbing in. "You coming?" Oscar stood there for a moment, before turning away from Mihael and running back to the house.

"I have an idea!"

* * *

A/N: Whats his idea? Anybody got an idea? Feel free to review. If you want to know when I update, just check out the **Next-To-Update** on my profile and check out where it says stories to see if its in-progress or on hiatus. Thanks :)


	13. Unlikely Meeting Pt 3

A/N: So I actually finished this chapter last night, but I was too lazy to edit it. Lol, its not as long as the last chapter but thats because I have a CLIFFHANGER! I hope everybody likes the chapter.

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Mail sat on the black leather couch, his body stiff and upright. He had never in his entire life seen a house so beautiful, much less been inside one. He looked a few times to the oak door, wondering when Oscar was going to return. The teen had simply kidnapped him from his own house and brought him to this house, refusing to take no for an answer. And then he just left Mail here, telling him to wait here and ran out out of the room, leaving him all alone.

Mail's eyes trailed the creme colored walls, stopping every so often to look at the elegant furniture, the exotic plants, and the pictures of family on the wall. Everything looked so...perfect. Not one thing was out of place. It amazed and disturbed Mail. He wondered what it would be like to live a privileged life.

What kind of person would he be if he had money? What kind of family would he have? Would he be blissfully happy and horny like Oscar? Or bitter and selfish like his friend Mello?

"Mail?" Mail turned, surprised when he saw not only Oscar and his dad, but Mihael as well. Mail had gotten the feeling that Mihael didn't really like Oscar very much, even though they seemed to spend most of their time together. _He probably has no friends_ Mail thought.

"Good to see you again Mail. Hope you don't run off again." Oscar's father commented lightly. Mail blushed instantly at the memory, standing up to shake his hand.

"Good to see you to Mr. Sainte-Juste." Mail said quietly. The four all sat down on a different couch, Mihael keeping himself as far away as possible from Mail. Mail was seriously beginning to wonder what was wrong with the uptight blond. The glares he kept getting were really starting to bug him. _I haven't done anything to him! Well I did try to take his wallet...but he doesn't have to act like such a douchebag._

"So has Oscar filled you in on his little idea?" Mail swallowed and shook his head. This was the whole reason he was here. He knew it was stupid to hope things could get better for him, especially since they never did, but something told him not to run away this time.

"Not yet." Mail finally said, unable to keep his hands from fidgeting. _God what is wrong with me? Gotta chill, gotta relax. Breathe. Nothing bad is going to happen._

"Well here's how it goes. You know the state's best school - one of the best schools in the country - Ezphesus?" Mail nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yeah I do...I'm kinda going there in the fall."

"No kidding! So am I!" Oscar exclaimed. Mihael snorted and rolled his eyes, his expression practically screaming boredom. "So anyways, its mandatory for all the rich people to do a whole buncha' community service hours. You get me?"

Mail frowned and opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. "I'm not quite getting...your point." Mail finally said.

"That's an understatement." Mihael muttered, low enough for no one but Mail to hear. "He means he's gonna give you the surgery for free in exchange for community service hours that the school requires." An unsteady silence filled the room, one that made Mail feel sick to his stomach.

"Wow...Oscar I can't ask you to do something so huge for-"

"Quit the sob story kid. No sense whining and being modest." Mihael interrupted, his fierce blue eyes boring holes in Mail's head. Mail blushed immediately, wishing the blond would leave him alone. _Maybe its better that I'm not rich. I would hate it if I ended up like him._ Then again, Mail thought he wasn't such a great guy either. He probably deserved less than Mihael.

"Okay." Mail finally said. If he didn't have to pay for it, then he might as well do it. He may not be able to walk properly for another year or so, but it was better than spending the next four years at Ezphesus with people like Mihael 'grilling the cripple.' Not fun...

"All I need to do is set up an appointment with your family to talk about the precautions and if all goes well, then we'll pick the official date. Sound good?" Mail nodded stiffly, his spirits sinking as soon as he heard the word 'family.' His family consisted of his estranged prostitute mother, his M.I.A. half-brother who should have been back three years ago, and his alcoholic father. _If only I could bring the dog..._

"I'm sorry to leave you hanging but I really have to get back to the hospital. Just call me if you have any questions." He called as he rushed out of the room. Mihael took this as a cue to leave and left as fast as he possibly could.

"What is up with Mihael? Why does he act so..." Mail trailed off, not sure if Oscar would be insulted or not.

"Bitchy?"

"Uh...sure. Yeah."

"That's just how he acts." Oscar said simply.

"But why does he hate me? Why is he always mad at me so much?" Mail persisted.

"Well...he's not mad at you...specifically. He's more mad at me." Mail's eyes narrowed, confused by the statement.

"It sure didn't seem like it earlier. Why would he be mad at you?" Oscar sighed.

"...I kinda got him involved in my idea." Mail frowned at the thought. Just how and why did they need Mihael? There was nothing much for Mihael to do, unless he needed to bitch someone to their death. _In that case, I should probably introduce him to my dad._

"What does he have to do?" Oscar sighed again, making Mail more and more nervous. "What did you ask him to do?"

"Well, don't get mad but I kinda already talked to your dad about the surgery-"

"You did WHAT?" Mail screamed, unable to contain himself._ Not good not good not good not good._ What if he called the police on Mail? Or child services? They would send him somewhere far away, messing up his life even more.

"Yeah, that's why he let you come." Oscar said uncomfortably, completely unaware of Mail's inner termoil. "I already talked to him about the surgery and all, I answered all his questions, and he said he was okay with it as long as he didn't have to pay." _Fucking cheap ass._ "He pretty much didn't want to do anything to get him much attention but he says he doesn't care what you do." Mail nodded, surprised and pleased. For once, he was glad of his father's indifference. It was just such a shock to hear him say that his dad was okay with letting him get the surgery..._I wonder what his motive is._ "But he says he won't be able to look after you the rest of the summer because he's going out of town..." Mail frowned. Of course his dad had to go and fuck everything up. Like he had anywhere to go this summer, he never went anywhere. But Mail wasn't going to admit that.

"So I have nowhere to stay...gues I'll have to do the surgery next year..." _If dad doesn't change his mind by then_.

"Of course not, your leg will just get worse! I'd volunteer to keep you at my place but my dad's taking me to Europe to visit family until August. So I asked Mihael to watch you instead."

* * *

A/N: CLIFFHANGER! I'm so evil. Hope everybody liked it. The next update will probably be in two days. & before I forget, I have a surprise for my readers in chapter 15. Just to show my appreciation. I'm pretty sure that when it comes to community service hours, when it comes to certain scenarios, you get more hours than others. If not, then oh well, its my story. :)

P.S. If you want to know when I update, check the bottom of my profile where it says **Next-To-Update.**


	14. Down Under

A/N: I wrote and finished this last night. It was so fun for me to write this chapter that when I finished it, I couldn't stop writing. So after you read this, I'll have chapter 14 up later today when I get back from Yoga and lunch with my mom. :D I can't even tell you how much I'm enjoying this story. I never thought I'd actually get it down on paper but I did and I feel great about it.

P.S. Check under **Next-To-Update** to see when I update the next chapter.

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When Mail got home from Oscar's, his dad was waiting for him on the couch in their living room. He called Mail into the room and told him to sit down, his face long and serious. Mail stared at his father, his heart pounding deep in his chest. _Well he's not drunk...unfortunately. This can't be good._ He sat down on the floor, keeping as much distance between the two as humanely possible.

"Whatever shit you're mixed up in, don't get me involved." Mail nodded seriously, trying not to snort. He was getting freakin' surgery. He needed goddamn permission. He needed papers to be signed. How the hell could he not get his father involved without getting the police? Mail was seriously considering if the two were related or not.

"Alright. Just need you to set up a date." Mail said quietly. Just one more meeting and that was that. No more pain, no more hurt, no more problems. At least he hoped so. If he just managed to avoid his dad, then life would be better. Mail would finally be able to protect himself.

"I'm not watching over you for the summer. Who are you staying with?" Even now, after everything that happened, his dad still kept him on a tight leash. Its like Jojo had more freedom then Mail did.

"A friend." Mail finally said, thinking of Oscar instead of Mihael.

"A friend? You have friends?" His dad asked, laughing. _Wow. Even my dad thinks I'm pathetic. He and Mihael should start a club._

"Yeah dad. He volunteered to watch me over the summer."

"Maybe he'll keep you." His father said, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV. "Everyone needs a good bitch to push around." Mail stood up, signaling the conversation to be over as he walked to his bedroom.

He sat down on his bed, thinking about what his dad told him. What would it be like to live with Mihael? Would the teen make his summer a living hell? Or would he just leave him alone? _I should probably just get high all summer. I'll probably survive better that way._

One Week Later

Mihael sat in the hospital lobby, his leather boot tapping against the hospital floor impatiently. Rick had left him there to go check with Oscar's dad about some precautions and he hadn't come back since. So Mihael texted people. And read magazines. And people-watched. Impatiently.

And now he was very very bored. Mihael was used to getting what he wanted and that included not being bored. So he stood up, trying to remember what room number they all said they'd be in. _I think it was 5301._

Mihael listened at the door, making sure he heard talking and not surgical equipment being cut into people. When he heard Rick's voice, he opened the door, ignoring the surprised faces staring back at him as he entered the room.

"Hey Rick, thanks for leaving me. Cute ass by the way kid." Mihael said, his eyes on Mail's exposed skin. Mail blushed a color as deep as his hair color, pulling the hospital gown over him as much as he could without moving. Mihael noted the black markings that had been made on the teen's leg and felt his stomach twist. Blood wasn't disgusting to him. Neither were body parts. It was the thought of someone he knew being cut up, no matter how new they were to him or how little he actually cared about him, that made him feel sick.

"I was just leaving Mihael." Rick said, standing up from his chair and handing over a clipboard to Oscar's dad. Mihael wondered what it was that Rick possibly had to sign that had to do with Mail but the boy looked just as confused as he did. "Do you want me to take you home or would you rather wait here?" Rick said, his hand on Mihael's arm as he pulled him out of the room, motioning for Oscar to follow. "It'll be awhile before Dr. Sainte-Juste is finished so you might as well go home and sleep."

"Its only eight-thirty Rick. I think I can brave a few hours."

"But Mihael, after the surgery, he has to go through recovery after and-"

"I'm staying." Mihael interrupted. "Just try and make me leave."

* * *

It would be an understatement if someone said Mail was having a panic attack. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move, and he was close to blacking out. When the other three had left him in the room, his mind put him in a state of utter panic. And it did not improve when he got back either.

Dr. Sainte-Juste called two nurses to escort him to the surgery room, causing what everyone thought was an asthma attack. So instead of walking, the three concluded it would be best if the red-head was taken to the surgery room by wheel chair.

After Mail was taken to the room, the male nurse helped lay him out on the table, asking if he was comfortable or if he needed any water and all of the basic preliminaries. Mail watched as all of the nurses set up the room for the surgery, his heart pounding so loud in his chest he was sure everyone could here it.

The female nurse hooked him up to a Electrocardiogram*, strapping a wire to his arm and manuevered another few around his hospital gown to his chest. Mail swallowed, ignoring the pep speech the nurses kept giving him. Nothing was helping him and nothing would.

Eventually, the nurses gave up trying to relax him and instead brought out the Anesthesia Machine*, telling Mail that he was simply going to sleep through the entire surgery and wouldn't feel a thing. Of course, Mail knew this and once again, he forced himself to ignore the fact that these hospital people were underestimating his intelligence.

Instead, Mail nodded and allowed them to put the mask over his mouth and nose. At first, he found it difficuilt to breathe in the thick heavy air. But then it became so natural and necessary, that he didn't even notice that it made him feel completely numb all over, as if slipping into a coma. _So this is what it feels like to go under..._

_

* * *

_A/N: Electrocardiogram - what doctors use to monitor the heart rate of patients in the hospital.  
Anesthesia Machine - what doctors use to put patients under.


	15. Going Home

A/N: Next chapter. Sorry it took so long. Got home late, had to do chores, talked to my friend, watched Coraline which scared the shit out of me btw, and wrote the beginning of a chapter for another one of my stories. Unfortunately, half of it was erased when I tried to save it so I'm kinda mad...it was a really good chapter too. So let this be a lesson to you all: ALWAYS SAVE YOUR WORK! & due to my dad being a total jack ass, my computer got taken away so until I get my computer back, updates will be harder. Sorry to say, but blame him.

* * *

"We're done." Mihael, Oscar and Rick all looked up at Oscar's dad, who was pulling off his bloody gloves and throwing them away in a nearby trash bin. "Everything was a success and Mail is in recovery now, although he's very exhausted so take it easy with him. But no worries, you'll be able to take him home in just a few hours."

Mihael mentally sighed, thanking God that this night was over. Well, technically morning. The blonde had spent all night at the hospital, sitting in the most uncomfortable chair known to man for hours on end. But the surgery was over now and Mihael would be able to forget about this whole nightmare. Then again, a whole new one was about to begin.

Although Mihael wasn't entirely sure what to think about Mail. He didn't like the kid. That much was obvious. But he seemed interesting and pretty smart to Mihael. As well as easy to manipulate. _I'll see later how far I can go with him..._Mihael thought, smiling to himself.

* * *

Mail was half-asleep when they told him he could leave. His body was exhausted and he felt like he'd been stuffed with lead. But he couldn't sleep now, his mind was going crazy. Everything was changing all around him, going so fast that he hardly had time to adjust.

The few days he had been waiting for the surgery were excruiciating. They were long. They were boring. They scared the shit out of Mail.

And then finally, Rick came by that day to pick him up and take him to the hospital, causing Mail to feel ultimately sick. The entire car ride, he couldn't stop shaking to save his life. They were going to cut into his leg for godsakes! How could other people be so relaxed? And why couldn't he be more like them?

Mail groaned to himself, rubbing his eyes tiredly when the door opened and bright light sone in his face. "Ready to go?" Rick asked him, walking to the bed with a wheel chair in tow. Mail nodded slowly, too tired to give a decent reply. The man pulled off the hospital blankets, lifting Mail up and onto the wheelchair. Mail wondered how he could possibly be so strong but didn't dwell on the fact. After all, he was technically a bodyguard so he had to be strong.

"We done?" Mihael asked, his eyes on Mail's leg. Rick must have nodded because Mihael stood up and began walking. Mail didn't even notice when they got to the car because he was so exhausted.

"Is there anything you'd like to get at your house first?" Rick asked him softly, helping him into the car without bumping into his leg. Mail quickly went through all the things he could have left at the house, anything he could have brought to bring him some kind of comfort when at his strange new environment. But there was nothing...really...

"Actually yes. If you don't mind."

"Why would I mind?" Rick asked curiously.

* * *

"We are NOT bringing that hairy mutt into my car! End of story!" Mihael shrieked, from the back seat of the car. He downright refused to have some monster living at his house. The thought was just ridiculous.

"He's not a mutt!" Mail said angrily, his hand on the dogs head. "He didn't do anything to you!"

"He tried to kill me!"

"No he didn't! He just wanted to play!"

"Well I felt my life was threatened! So leave your damn dog here!"

"There's no one to take care of him! So I can't!"

"Like you can ever take care of him! In case you haven't noticed, you've just updated from cripple to paraplegic!"

"I'll have my sister watch him okay? Is that okay with you both?" Rick interfered, glaring at the two boys.

"Sure I guess." Mail said.

"He better not track mud in the car." Mihael grumbled.

"Great. Everybody's happy. Let's get the hell out of here."

* * *

A/N: Hope everybody enjoyed this chapter! :)


	16. A Trip Down Memory Lane

A/N: So here's the chapter guys & girls! I would've prepared this sooner, but I threw up yesterday morning and was delirious for the majority of the day. My theory: bad salsa. Anywho, even through my delusions, I was able to write this beauty. At least, I hope its a beauty. And at the bottom of the page, you'll all get your surprise. Enjoy! :)

* * *

Mail was surprised when Rick told him in the car that he was going to be sharing the same room with Mihael. He honestly thought that the blond would start bitching at everyone about this decision and start threatening to kick Mail out of the car but surprisingly he stayed quiet, focusing on the phone in his lap. They finally drove away from Mail's neighborhood, driving through the entire town until they got to what Mail called the "Upper Side."

What was ultimately disturbing to Mail about the Upper Side was how everyone's house looked more or less alike and yet they all seemed to try to make their own house look bigger and better. People had added massive gardens that surrounded their homes, giant replicas of famous statues littered the yards, giant pools, fountains, and tennis courts, and for some reason, a lot of horses.

But Mihael's house had to be one of the biggest out of the entire neighborhood. It was even bigger than Oscar's house and his dad was a surgeon. Mail seriously wondered just how rich and important this family was. Just what was it that the Keehl family did that made them so rich? Mail blinked back surprise as they drove up to the gate of the house, stopping as several security guards came by the car, nodding when they saw Rick and Mihael.

"You're house is beautiful." Mail said quietly, blushing as he spoke. Mihael finally looked up from his phone, his attention diverted briefly before he looked back at the phone, a small smirk in his face.

"Home sweet home." He muttered, climbing out of the car and into the house as fast as possible.

* * *

Mihael was smart enough to know by now that something was up with Rick. For more than nine years of his life, Rick had always been there, through the good and bad times. He knew what made Rick happy and he knew what made him sad. And he didn't like his only fatherly figure being upset on his watch.

What was worst was, he didn't like being lied to by the ones he actually cared about. _I'm not stupid,_ Mihael thought to himself. _I'm smart enough to know what's going on around here._ So that evening, a few hours after Mail had passed out in the set-up bed next to his, Mihael snuck out of the room, tip-toeing through the enormous house to Rick's room. He was sure Rick had dropped off the kid's mutt by now so he was almost completely sure that Rick was home.

Mihael quietly approached the door, knocking quietly and waiting for Rick to answer. Almost immediately, the door opened and Mihael walked in, eyeing Rick with a curious expression. "Why are you still up? Its pretty late." Rick whispered, moving some of the clutter off his bed to give Mihael a place to sit.

"Couldn't sleep." Mihael muttered, pulling his knees to his chest when he sat down. "Why are _you_ still up? Its pretty late." He repeated.

Rick smiled to himself as he folded one of his shirts, as if enjoying a private joke with himself. "Just getting the room cleaned up before I go to bed. Its been a mess for awhile and I thought I should do it now before I forget to."

Mihael nodded, feeling tension in the space between them. He couldn't explain it; he just knew Rick was hiding something from him. But no matter how much the blond wanted to interrogate the one person he truly cared about, the words got caught in his throat, unable to escape.

Maybe it was all in Mihael's head. Maybe he was letting paranoia get to him by putting strange thoughts and ideas in his head when they were absolutely untrue. _But...I can't possibly be wrong. Of course I'm not wrong. I know better._

"How's are guest doing?" Rick asked, looking up at Mihael and officially breaking the uncomfortable silence. Mihael shrugged and stared at the wall, grateful for a chance to speak.

"Asleep. I swear, you should've seen his face as soon as he hit the mattress. Its like he's never slept on something so soft before in his life." Mihael said, laughing softly.

"He probably hasn't." Rick said, nodding. "Why'd you agree to keep him here?" Mihael shrugged again. He honestly had no idea why he let Oscar talk him into taking in the kid, much less watching over him for the rest of his entire summer. Not that he would be doing much but studying anyways.

"Community service hours." Mihael finally said, picking at a broken toe nail. "Anyways I wanted to talk to you about something else right now. So don't change the subject." Mihael warned. Rick nodded, continuing to fold his clothes as Mihael prepared to speak. _Why is this so hard? _"I want to know why you lied to me." Mihael noticed Rick freeze for the briefest second, his eyes blank of all emotion before he looked at Mihael with an innocent expression.

"What do you mean?" Rick asked calmly, his voice quiet but controlled. He immediately stopped cleaning his room and walked over to the younger teenager, taking a seat next to him.

"Your sister died twenty years ago." Mihael said quietly, his head down. He hated to bring up the past, especially Rick's shaky past but he hated being lied to even more. "Your sister died twenty years ago in a boating accident when you were ten years old. Your brother died of heart attack just before you came to work here and your parents died a few years ago, within weeks of each other." Mihael said, his heart pounding in his ears. "So when you said you were going to take that filthy mutt to your sister's, I got mad because you _lied_ to me. And then I started thinking that if you lied about something so little, what else have you lied to me about? And why? Why did you lie to me? I don't care if you think its just a small lie or you don't want to hurt someone's feelings but I don't like lying at all. Who cares if you're worried about hurting someone's feelings, its just better to get the truth out." Mihael stopped speaking, suddenly feeling stupid for coming there in the first place. "Forget it, I'm gonna go to bed." But before Mihael could leave, Rick grabbed his hand and sat him back down.

"I'm sorry. Maybe we should talk in the morning when we're not so tired." Mihael nodded, standing up and walking to the door. "Mihael, I'm really sorry. I haven't been lying to you, I swear. Things have just been...difficult for me lately. Lots of painful memories." Rick sighed. "But that's no excuse for me to bring back the past and let it affect you."

"But Rick-" Mihael protested before being interrupted.

"No excuse." He repeated. "Come on, I'll take you to your room. And like I said, we can talk more in the morning. Alright?" And for one of the first times in Mihael's life, he nodded and surrendered, walking to his room with Rick following him. He slowly crawled into his bed, and gave Rick one last hug before he fell into a deep troubling sleep.

* * *

**Ten Beauty In The Mask Fun Facts/Spoilers/Character-Breakdowns:**  
1-I NEVER planned on writing this story. The idea just sort of popped into my head. A completely undeveloped, very _sexual_, very different-from-now-idea. It was one of those little ideas I thought was just going to stay in my head forever, but then it really developed over lots of time and thinking and unlike most of my ideas that I don't end up writing, this one just kind of demanded to be written.  
2-This story was meant to be much more sexual than I first planned out. But then I thought 'Come on, everybody's writing those stories now, try something different. Don't make your characters all sexy and perfect with the occasional problem or two. Give them flaws, give them life problems, give realistic situations.' And surprisingly enough, my flaws didn't ruin my characters. They hopefully made them muuuuuuch better.  
4-I absolutely love Mihael with all my heart but he's very manipulative of everyone, even Rick. He genuinely cares about Rick, but he can be very selfish sometimes. And when he was thirteen, he had a major-guy crush on Rick (even though he "claims" to be 100% straight which we all know is a lie, ;) especially in this story) which he promptly grew out of a few months later when he officially proclaimed Rick to be his new dad.  
4.1-Did anyone notice how there wasn't a three? Three is just an unlucky number for me...  
5-I was inspired to create Oscar by a manga I read and Rick by a show I saw. I thought these guys were just the perfect touch to my story. Oscar is just plain stupid. He doesn't think about consequences, he's always after girls, and he's a mega-jock. But he loves everybody, even though he's a bit too trusting at times and falls under the manipulative wing of Mihael. And Rick? I absolutely love love love him. He's so messed up in so many ways because of such a hard life he's had but he's such a sweet guy. He loves Mihael like his little kid brother and even though he's so calm and collected, he can get (and will in the future) very vicious if someone tries to hurt him.  
6-Spoiler: Its Mihael's fault that Mail gets addicted to cigarettes.  
7-I like Mohagany because of how smart she really is. Think about it. She sleeps with (the majority) her students and then manipulates them into not telling anyone so she doesn't get in trouble. She's like Mihael's double. I honestly don't know how I came up with her. She just popped into my head and I thought it would be cool to see a character go up against Mihael. And when I created Mail's dad, I had to add all this bad stuff he did to Mail so Mihael and Mail could finally meet. I honestly couldn't find a way around it.  
7.1-I can't remember if I've said anything about the setting in previous chapters but if I haven't, then they currently live in Colorado. If I have, then they all officially as of now live in Colorado and that's final.  
8-Spoiler:You all know Mail has bulemia and has had it for a few years now. What you don't know is that Mihael has Bipolar Depression (or Manic-Depressive Disorder) - is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood and one or more depressive episodes. Now in case that was to fancy for you guys and girls to understand (don't worry if it is, it was hard for me to get to, I only know what it really means because one of my friends has it) Mihael has random mood swings (happy and calm to moody and depressed) that he can't control as well as suffering from the symptom Hypomania - generally a mild to moderate level of mania; there's a decreased need for sleep, however many people with hypomania are actually in fact more productive than usual.  
9-Spoiler: Oscar doesn't leave for Europe until July. Its currently June. :)  
10-I always thought this story wouldn't get much attention when I did start writing it. And I'd say that by now, it has a lot of attention. Thank you everyone whose ever helped support the story: **Pyro Band Ninja, Jade Yasmin, Oeel, LsAngel, KikiOjji, Kari Twilight Mist, PrincessPika, Eevee Tofu, Alice4eva, Rose-TheDaughterOfHades, Atreyl, Shimeta, xXlovely-emoXx, Beyond'sWaraNingyo, fullmoons-wings, Bedessica, feartehfox, ParadoxalPansy, tsuki1613, ShinigamiMailJeevas, mikoofdoom, Lucifaera, TimelyExit, jinnabun, Shadow Dancer666, wammy's agent Seeker, Fundibulous teh Zohan, Eon Manic, xzombieViolinistx, Maura Keehl, Suki NightStar, Moonlight and Music, Teh Definition of Epic, NaruSasuGaaltaFangirl, snappygirl, wolfspeaker01, SuperSaiyanKiri, onixxfilth, PaintedClocks, yaoifangirl801, Grimmjow Jeagarjaques, and 1lvanessence1.** If I left anyone out, I'm sorry, it was hard to get everybody's name.


	17. Don't Get Dirty Pt 1

A/N: This is part one of a two-part chapter. I feel super bad for not updating but I had sooooo much trouble with this chapter. It tortured me figuratively and literally. I first tried writing it as Mail (3rd person) but after four failed attempts, I gave up and tried Mihael (3rd person) which was so much easier. Then I simply switched and switched...and you'll see. I hope everybody enjoys the surprise in this chapter. Please promise me you won't jump to conclusions or think I'm just another writer trying to sex up the story. Part 2 will explain everything and is much longer too. Hope everybody enjoys!

* * *

_Let's have some fun._ Mihael thought to himself, entering his bedroom and sitting down on his enormous bed. Mail was sitting across from him on the other bed, his eyes glued to the television. Mihael slightly smirked, wondering how little the younger teen watched television at home. Probably never.

But Mihael could care less about Mail's TV habits. What he was truly interested in was Mail. After one week of spending endless hours with the red head, Mihael honestly had no idea what to make of Mail. Then again, they hadn't spoken much either. And Mihael hadn't tried to either.

But now Mihael _had_ to speak with the teen, communicate with him, find out all that he could, mostly because he was slightly paranoid. He had found out from Oscar that Mail was going to go to the same high school as he was. That meant the same environment, same classes, and more importantly, same people. What if little Mail wasn't so innocent as everyone believed? Maybe he had a bigger mouth than everyone expected and Mihael didn't like people to make a fool out of him.

So he did what he always did with potential suspects: dig for dirt. There had been plenty of experiences Mihael had dealt with when some fake had tried to destroy his reputation. But he never let anyone get the worst of him so he gave them what they deserved and destroyed them right back.

Mihael of course had his reasonable doubts about Mail. He weighed the pros and cons of what he was about to do Mail, wondering what inner damage he might cause considering his touchy background. But he had to protect himself, like he always had. So he though to himself once again: _Let's have some fun._ His own personal mantra.

So Mihael crawled to the other side of his bed, sitting next to Mail on his own bed, shocking the red head out of his trance with the TV. "Oh! I'm sorry, here." Mail said, blushing as he held out the TV remote to Mihael.

"No worries." Mihael said, using his best smile as he took the remote. "Just wondering if you wanted to watch a movie with me." He asked innocently. His first move was getting to know Mail. His likes and dislikes, what made him hot and what made him tic. Starting with a little movie.

"Sure." Mail said, sounding taken aback. "I'd love to." If he's an actor, he's the best one I've ever seen. Mihael stood up instantly, jumping off the bed and walking over to his DVD case, going through each movie with careful speculation before finally selecting the one that seemed appropriate.

"How about Jennifer's Body?" Mihael asked, popping the movie into the DVD player. "Ever seen it?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. But I'd love to watch it with you." Mail said quietly, a small smile on his face. _Maybe he doesn't hate me_, Mail thought to himself. _I think he's trying...just gotta be careful._ Mihael smiled back, grabbing a pillow from his bed and propping it behind his back. _Very very careful.

* * *

_

The movie they were watching wasn't the worst movie in the world. In fact, Mail liked it a lot, despite the bad acting on the brunette's part. _I think her name is Miranda. No wait, its Megan. _He was also having trouble following the plot but he otherwise liked the supernatural quality of the movie. Although one thing confused the younger teen was the elder's behavior.

He had been ignored for about a week by Mihael, receiving the cold shoulder and various glares every time they met. Maybe he was having a change of heart, maybe he was opening up, either way, Mail still felt nervous.

Somewhere in the middle of the movie - when Jennifer came into her friend "Needy's" room - Mihael lowered the volume, turning his attention to Mail. "You likin' the movie?" Mail nodded, unsure of what to say.

"I thought you would." Mihael said quietly, his hand resting next to Mail's. Mail's focus shifted from the movie to Mihael's hand and he was suddenly very self-conscious of the space between. Maybe he did have an ulterior motive. Maybe he was trying to pull something with Mail and Mail was probably falling for it. _This wouldn't be the first time someone tried to take advantage of me. _He thought uncomfortably._ I should just go home. It was a mistake coming here. Someone like me will never fit in._

"I do." Mail finally said, his cheeks growing red. He tried to focus on the movie, watching as Jennifer approached her friend "Needy" in a somewhat sinister manner. But out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed how small the distance was between their arms and hands. It made him feel extremely awkward, since human contact was practically non-existant in his life.

"I take it you don't watch too many scary movies." Mail shook his head, his attention still on Mihael's arm.

"But when you do, they don't scare you much, do they?" Mail shrugged. He wasn't very good at small talk but he figured he might as well answer the questions and not get on anyone's bad sides. "Does anything scare you?" Now that question was a little personal.

"Not really..." Mail said. He didn't believe in heart-to-hearts with people, so he wasn't about to break down, cry and scream daddy.

"That's a good thing. You're much stronger when nothing can hurt you." The blond commented, nodding in approval. His eyes met with Mail's briefly, but he looked away instantly, his attention back on the movie. Mihael inwardly smiled. _Here comes the part..._

Mail eyes widened as the girls on screen shared a kiss, his face growing pale. Mihael smiled at the reaction, pushing the pause button and turning on his side, so he could completely face the red head. "Do you like girls kissing each other Mail?" Mail looked over at Mihael, his face still pale but for once not red.

"Not really." Mail said nervously, resembling a deer caught in headlights. Mihael almost frowned, a few questions coming to mind at the respsonse.

"Do...you like girls?" He asked curiously, his blue eyes thin and dangerous. He was intent on getting an answer, not some "maybe, not sure, or I guess." Yes or no, simple as that to start with.

Mail bit his lip, his eyes darting down before he looked at Mihael. "I...I don't know. I've never dated anyone before so I have no idea." Mail said softly, ignoring the fact that he was practically raped by his principal._ That didn't really count...I think._ He thought nervously.

Mihael cringed and stood up, thinking how terribly this plan was backfiring. _Usually by now, I'd be getting a vibe and a detail or two...what is going on with this kid? Am I losing my touch? What could it possibly...

* * *

_

A thought popped into Mihael's mind. One that seemed too good to ignore and too crazy to execute."Excuse me Mail." Mihael said in a low bittersweet voice, winking at Mail before leaving the room. Mail swallowed, propping himself up uncomfortably. He stared at the frozen picture of the girls kissing on the screen. He had never seen something so explicit before, finally realizing how sheltered his life had been up until now.

_But what's he planning?_

A few uncomfortable minutes passed for Mail as he waited for Mihael's return. He was so confused about...everything. He didn't understand what was going on and unlike most puzzles he did, he had no idea how to get the answer. Mihael was an unsolvable puzzle, a person with no answers.

_So fucking deep...and I only just met him._

Without warning, the door Mihael had gone through was kicked open and in walked Mihael himself, hand on hips and a coy smile gracing his features. Mail swallowed, losing the ability to breathe. Tight leather pants clung to Mihael's thin legs like a second skin. A snake skin shirt was practically attached to his chest, clinging to every muscle and curve.

Mihael was sexy. He knew it and so did everyone else. So he sauntered over to Mail, nice and slow, his eyes practically pinning Mail down until he made it to the bed, climbing on top of the red head and resting on his hips (without crashing into the cast).

Mail swallowed, feeling his cheeks grow hot at the new touch, gasping at the new sensations thrumming through his body. No one had ever touched him like that. No one ever sat on Mail, no one ever wore leather for him. _Mahogany _made_ me touch her...but it was nothing like this._

Mihael smiled, letting his fingers slowly slide up Mail's chest, stopping when they reached his neck and resting there. Mail gasped as he dug his nails into his skin, leaning in close to Mail's face until their noses were almost touching. And in a soft, sultry, metallic voice, he asked: "Do you like boys Mail?"

Mail swallowed, feeling the blood rush down to his groin, where Mihael was seated. Mihael smiled, tracing the shape of Mail's face. "Do you?" He asked again, kissing the tip of Mail's nose. Mail stammered, not knowing what to say or how to react.

"I...I don't...know." He finally whispered, his green eyes glued to Mihael's icy blue ones. But Mihael already got his answer. He smiled knowingly, extracting his other hand from Mail's shoulder and wrapping it around Mail's face.

"Let me help you find out." Mihael whispered, finally pressing his lips to the red head's.

* * *

A/N: Confusing? Sexy? I hope it was, I worked really hard on this chapter. I still feel really bad for waiting to update for so long and I feel worst cause I'm going on vacation in nine days and Wifi is a toughie in Europe so it will be hard to update. But even without signal, I'll still be writing so no worries. I'm going to put up the second part to this chapter later today and by the end, I'll hope things will clear up a bit. Hope everybody liked it.


	18. Don't Get Dirty Pt 2

A/N: So there is absolutely no excuse for why I'm updating so late. I feel uber bad. :( These past few days just got complicated and when I tried to write this chapter, it came out soooooooo wrong. I tried writing part of it in Rick's POV but it didn't work out. And I was kind of stuck at a cliffhanger so I couldn't continue in 3rd person. But luckily it hit me today - which let me tell you, I just got off a nine hour flight and I have to wait ten more hours to go to sleep, otherwise the jetlag will kill me so my brain should be dead right now - that I should try writing as Mihael. And...it worked! At least I hoped it did. Let me know if you liked it or not and I'll do my best to update._  
_

_

* * *

"Let me help you find out." Mihael whispered, finally pressing his lips to the red head's._

_That's it. I can finally say it...well think it. I'm gay. Mihael was right, I like boys. A lot. Maybe coming here wasn't such a bad idea._ Mail thought to himself, his body thrumming happily at the contact.

"Ready for more?" Mihael asked, his voice husky as he pulled away from Mail's lips. Mail noted how animalistic he suddenly appeared, how his half-lidded eyes were like slits. But he liked the wild untamed behavior. Very _sexy._

"Definitely." Mail said with a small smirk. Mihael grinned like the chesire cat before he leaned down to dominate Mail's mouth. Mihael was actually surprised that Mail was...cooperating so well. He had originally thought that kissing Mail would backfire horribly. Rick would have killed him if he had found out.

Mihael was overall glad that he had trusted his instincts. Mail was gay - or at least he was confused which proved to be just as helpful - so he figured he'd give Mail a night he would never forget in exchange for some answers that had to be answered. _Just to be safe_, he reminded himself as he slowly pulled away from Mail's mouth.

Mail groaned in protest, his hands reaching up to grab Mihael's face and bring them back together. _This guy's really into this_ Mihael thought. _Its like he doesn't need to breathe._ But as much as Mihael was having fun, he had a job to do. He couldn't get answers from a kid whose tongue was shoved down his throat.

So Mihael released Mail's fiery hair, his fingers trailing down Mail's shirt until he reached the hem, ripping it off as fast as he could. Mail broke away in momentary shock and Mihael took this as a chance. With unnatural speed, Mihael pinned Mail's arms above his head, finally regaining control of the situation.

Mihael smiled, biting Mail's neck and letting his tongue run over the bruised skin. "Have you ever-" _Gone all the way_ is what Mihael wanted to ask. Its what he should have been able to ask too. However, what he did not realize was that before he put his little plan into action, a plan that was supposed to be 100% unflawed, he found...a flaw.

He forgot to lock the door.

And Rick came in the room.

Mihael's POV

Oh fuck me. I thought to myself, cringing as Rick stared at us with a shocked expression. You know, this wasn't supposed to happen at all. Everything was supposed to go a lot smoother than this. I mean, I was about to destroy Mail's innocence and corrupt him for godsakes! And now? I'm the one whose screwed over!

I scrambled off of Mail and onto the floor, trying to neaten my slightly disgruntled appearance, which is not the easiest task boys and girls, especially when you're wearing skin tight leather that needs to be cut off with a pair of scissors if you expect to escape. But I can't think about leather now! I have to do something! Say something! He's waiting for me to explain myself, I can tell by the look in his eyes. But what the hell do I do?

Seriously, I've never been this clueless in a situation before. Then again, I've never gotten _caught_ in a situation like this before. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Mail's pail complexion turn the darkest shade of red I have ever seen. He looks like he just spent a week outside and got the world's worst sunburn.

"So..."I began, trying my best to feign an innocent expression. Then again, Rick can see right through my act like a frickin' mind reader. And I'm not exactly the best actor, since I'm pretty much always brutally honest with everyone I come in contact with. "Looks like I forgot to lock the door?" I said, trying to sound playful as if the entire thing had been just a game.

"And use a condom." Rick muttered under his breath. Fuck. Rick + Sarcasm = Not fucking good. "You have some explaining to do. Both of you do." He said in a louder commanding voice, eyeing Mail and I with a scrutinizing gaze. So its pretty obvious I can't count on Mail to defend me when all he can do is blush - and get _very _very horny _very_ very quickly - so I'm just going to have to do this on my own.

"Let's do this outside." I said carefully, freezing when Rick closed the door and stood in front of it, arms crossed.

"Here is just fine. Start talking." There's absolutely no way I'm telling the truth. What good would that do? The only thing I'd end up getting was an extra long speech on my behavior and a therapist. Ain't life grand?

"Well you see, my CPR courses-"

"Mihael was teaching me how to kiss!" Mail interrupted loudly, his voice a little higher than usual. Rick raised an eye brow, his eyes on Mail and thankfully not on me because if looks could kill then that crippled red head would be dead.

"He...he was...really?" Rick asked in disbelief. I can already tell what Rick is thinking cause I'm thinking it to. Damn, this kid _is_ convincing.

"Of course. I wanted to know how...and he offered to show me how. No big deal." Mail said slowly, his eyes on me. I could've sworn I saw him wink at me...

"Then why are you wearing that...outfit?" Rick asked, his mind just screaming suspicious. Mail shrugged, looking at my outfit once again before looking back at Rick.

"What can I say. He's eccentric." So Mail is a pathological liar. Interesting...just want to know why though? And if he wants anything in return...because if he's expecting a booty call later, he's got another thing coming. But luckily for me, Rick seemed to buy it. Damn, I could learn a thing or two from this kid.

"Well...you two take it easy."

End POV

The rest of the evening was awkward for Mihael. Mail never said anything about his little outburst and Mihael refused to comment, no matter how much he wanted to do so. So both of them just sat quietly on their own beds, Mihael's attention on his phone and Mail's on the television. Hours passed by without any interruption. Mihael thought he was going to go insane. He couldn't stand constant quiet. It made him feel awkward. And tonight was no exception.

Rick had come in with dinner, staying to help Mail into the bath afterwards and then bring him back to his bed. Mihael just sat there fuming, his eyes always on the red head, who was so _obviously _avoiding his gaze. But what really pissed Mihael off and practically pushed him over the edge were the two words that came out of Mail's mouth.

"G'night Mihael." Mail said tiredly, flipping over on his side and closing his eyes. He sounded content and perfectly calm, shocking and angering the blonde even more. _No one just ignores me and then goes to bed. After all that fucking happened today. What the hell?_

So he crawled over to Mail's bed, grabbing both of his shoulders and pushing him on his back, startling him awake. Mail's eyes flared open in surprise and he gasped as Mihael's lips crushed his own, moaning as his tongue entered his mouth. They continued to kiss like this for a few minutes, their bodies pressed together in a heated passion. Mihael finally pulled away, panting slightly as he sat back comfortably.

"What was that?" Mail said, slightly breathless as he turned to face Mihael.

"No big deal." He quoted from Mail, his icy blue eyes holding his. "Why did you do that earlier? You don't just lie and then act as if all that happened with us didn't mean anything." Mihel hated how needy he sounded but he needed an answer. Mail's eyes widened slightly but continued to hold the other's gaze.

"But that's what you did with me." Mail said quietly. "You acted as if the kiss meant nothing to you. You used me. You were looking for someone to manipulate, someone to control, just to get what you want. Cause its always about you, isn't it? You used me." He stated again, nodding to himself when the blond didn't say anything. "Silence speaks louder than words." Mail said, turning away from Mihael without another word.

* * *

A/N: Hope everybody liked it. Sorry its not as long as usual. It was fun to write as Mihael. And I really especially loved the ending. It didn't require this big dramatic showdown where they both end up in tears having hot angry sex - as sexy as that would have been...;) - and I hope people got it. I'll be updating soon.


	19. A Moment To Catch Up

A/N: I'm going to be honest with you guys and girls. I honestly have no excuse as to why I haven't updated in so long, except for the fact that I'm lazy and I had trouble getting inspiration. But I'm done with that shitty excuse because my creative writing teacher told me an important piece of advice. 'Inspiration is just an idea. Even if we only end up writing one sentence that feels great, or one chapter that's total shit, its not inspiration that got us there. Its our own mind.'

Don't know if y'all believe or get that but I do in some weird way. And its true for me at least. I was so wrapped up in the idea that inspiration would come to me and make my story better that I didn't even bother writing it in the first place. So lesson learned. I'll try much harder from now on. My next update sure as hell will be two weeks from now and you can all send me hateful messages if I don't update, which will be much MUCH longer than this shorty. Enjoy :)

Also, I've thought about re-writing and editing all the chapters in this story during winter break. I won't change a lot but there are a few things that bug me so I guess some stuff will change. I'll put up a poll on my profile that you all can answer and give your opinion on.

* * *

The problem with having your leg looking like an over-stuffed pinata and spending the majority of the summer on a bed is you get fat. Especially when you have four gourmet chefs (Seriously four! What is that?) cooking at a five-story mansion 24/7. I'm honestly surprised Mihael's not the size of a blimp. Then again, you could get a lot done to your body when you're loaded. Like his mom for example. I haven't actually met her face-to-face but I've seen pictures of her...I'd need a small fortune just to get half of the plastic surgery she's done, which did not do wonders for her face.

But that's not the only problem I've had to deal with. Oh no. It gets worst than my terrible eating habits. Dear old dad showed up drunk at the front of the mansion last night wondering where I was and ended up breaking one of the statues in the front. Who would have thought that someone's memory could diminish in a few short weeks. Then again, this my dad we're talking about. I'm seriously wondering how he got the address to this place at all, since he's got just as many resources as I do. Zero.

Rick's been nothing but nice to me but I think he's beginning to suspect that I'm not always eating. He may be quiet but he sure pays attention to everything around him. Kinda eerie if you think about it. I'm honestly wondering what his deal is. He seems too good to be true and when my leg gets a bit better, I figure a little investigating won't kill anybody.

I also have to do actual homework before school starts up. If not, I start off with straight F's in all of my classes for the first nine weeks. I'm too concerned to let this slip by but I'm too lazy to care at the moment.

And now for the grand finale of all my problems. Give up? It's Mihael's insanity. He's cocky, manipulating, and evil-genius smart. He may come up with the most elaborate ideas that make sense to not one human being, but he'll always end up hurting you in the end. I'm not even surprised that he hasn't had any friends over this entire summer. Knowing him, he probably scared them all away, if he even had any in the first place.

"Mail, stop fucking leaving crumbs all over the place. If you're gonna starve yourself, at least have the decency to throw food away in the trash like normal human beings." Yeah, he's also an obnoxious bitch who doesn't know how to shut the fuck up.

"You're one to talk about being normal, freak. And I don't leave food around, I throw it away. Talk to your stupid sister first, before you start shit with me." Seriously, I've never been this pissy before. I'm more angrier than a girl on the rag. And all because this stupid blonde pisses me off at every chance he gets.

"I already talked to my sister idiot, why the hell would she be leaving food in here if she's not even allowed in my room?" The fights don't even involve just us anymore, but everybody within a ten-foot radius, which of course, always includes Rick. I don't know which scares him more though, us fighting or that one time Mihael was on top of me. Usually when these fights go down though, he has a weird habit of showing up to break us apart. Its almost as if he wants us completely isolated from each other.

"Tell me Mihael, since you seem to think your so smart, answer me this. How can a fucking cripple leave food around a room when he can't even move?" Even despite the fights we have, it almost feels natural when we're fighting. I'm not saying I like him or anything, far from it. I just feel comfortable, even though he's out to get me. Weird. I must be a masochist or something if some sick part of me likes being treated like shit.

"Its a little something called picking up food and throwing it, which I'm sure even a retarded slob like you can comprehend. Just because you're a cripple doesn't mean I'm gonna pity your ass, especially when you're fucking with me. Cause trust me kid, if you even think about trying to fight me, you'd lose. So back the fuck off before I make you."

"Mihael, that's enough." Once again, it's Rick to the rescue. Its the same every time. He comes in all serious and grabs Mihael's arm, dragging him out of the room and locking the door behind him. Even outside, I can hear them arguing, although it sounds like Rick's got the upper hand. Which makes zero sense to me, especially since Rick's just a full-time servant. He's supposed to follow Mihael's orders, not the other way around, right?

Things in my life are getting weirder by the minute. Rick's a mystery, dad's a mental case, Mihael's a bigger mental case, my cast is gonna come off soon, and high school's right around the corner. All in all, if I don't start learning how to survive soon, I'm royally fucked.

* * *

A/N: So, anybody know who Mihael's sisters gonna be? Give it a guess and you might be surprised ;)


	20. More Reasons Why Mello Hates Matt

A/N: So my stupid computer has been spazzing out for god knows how long but in that time, I came up with this a beauty: Mello's POV. It's much more developed than the first time I wrote in his perspective and I really feel the development in his personality.

* * *

**July 21, 2003**

Mihael's POV  
The less you know about people, the better your life turns out to be. Seriously, you can have all the friends in the world - and of course, I have "plenty" of them at my disposal - but that doesn't mean I want to get to know them. The same goes for me. I don't want anyone but Rick knowing about me because...well he's the only one who matters.

So learning all about Mail today was worst than having the devil had come for my soul, which would have been preferred. I'm not a fucking Dr. Phil so I'm not going to be a part of his little pity party. I wasn't raised to be a good little boy, I wasn't even raised in the first place.

To be honest, I did nothing wrong. It all started with him. I may not be the innocent one, but he's the one fucking up my life, not the other way around.

It all really started with Oscar though. As usual, he manages to make things in my life harder than it needs to be. Well technically, its Oscar's dads fault. Apparently, there were a few papers that weren't signed and Mail wouldn't be able to get his cast off without it. So both his parents had to come in with him present for the official 'ok.'

Unfortunately for me, Rick thought it would be a good experience for me to go along and 'learn' more about the lower class. And trust me, an awkward utterly silent car ride to the hospital is ten times more worst than when we argue. Mail looked like he was about to blow a vein and stupid idiotic me left my cell phone at home.

Instead of making my presence known and proving to everyone that I was better than them, I stayed quiet at first. There was no way I was actually going to get involved in this private affair. And yet, I felt that annoying little tick, that desperate little urge of mine to know about him was pretty strong. I can't help it if I'm naturally curious.

But for once, I should have just sat back in the hall and ignored the urge to get involved. But what can I say? I'm naturally a nosey person. So I sat inside the room with the two, watching Mail practically twitching in his seat, periodically staring at the clock nervously and smiling apologetically at Oscar's dad.

"No need to worry Mail." Oscar's dad reassured him gently, giving him a bright smile that seemed well-rehearsed and professional. Mail smiled nervously and looked back at the door.

"They've never been known well for punctuality." He muttered softly. Oscar's dad looked over at me, his expression sad. I don't know why he looked at me like that, as if I could relate to Mail. Because I don't. We live two totally different lives and as much as his sucks, I am NOT understanding. Period.

So I did what I always do in awkward situations: keep a cool blank face, throw in my infamous steely eyes, and downright make people feel awkward. Anyways, Mail's dad showed up twenty minutes later and his mom, an hour later.

His dad looked just as ruffed up as Mail did the first night I ever bumped into him. Dirty, ruffled clothes that were so far ruined that they should have been burned on sight, greasy red-brown hair that had the same mopish look Mail's had whenever he washed his hair - no one better ask me how I know that, I'm just really observant ok? - and oh yeah, he reeked of alcohol. Scotch to be exact. And a little whiskey mixed in there too.

His mom though, was the real shocker. Instead of a fat slob and equally disgusting woman like his dad, the woman looked...pretty cleaned up. A little too clean, like she had spent the last few years of her life in soap and water. Her hair looked too-shiny and the red was dulled and combed back into a straining ponytail. Her clothes - although plain and yet oddly bright - hung on her too thin frame. Her skin was practically drooping off her bones, as if they were going to melt off any second.

And yet, no matter how different she looked compared to her husband, it was her eyes that really shocked me. Bright, big, and oh yeah...the eyes of a serious tweaker.

Mail looked like he wanted to stick his head in a barrel of raging fire ants and honestly I couldn't blame him. Who wants to have a druggie and a drunkie who obviously outright hate each other? Thank god the actually meeting didn't last as long as the wait. They made a little small talk, wen through the paper work, and finally, they were done.

"It was a pleasure meeting the both of you." Oscar's dad spoke softly, offering his hand to Mail's mom. She merely nodded, not offering her hand as she stood up to leave.

"I'll ugh...see you later Mail. I h-hope your leg gets better."

"Don't act like you suddenly care. If you're never gonna be in my life, then don't pretend." Well, what a surprise. Mail does have a little temper behind that calm facade of his. Good to make a note of.

"If I didn't care, I wouldn't have shown up here! You could've gone on with your life with a fucked up leg without me if it was for my bro-I mean your father! You're nothing but a selfish brat!" Her exit would have been more dramatic if she hadn't tripped on a chair on the way out. But what really interested me was Mama Meth head's little word stumble. More like a train wreck, gaining more and more speed until it went crashing into hell.

* * *

The drive back home was long and awkward. And hitting traffic was just the tip of the iceberg. I really wish Oscar's dad hadn't offered to wait to take off the cast in a few days because now, it was plainly obvious Mail wanted nothing more than to hide out in my room for a couple of days. Great. Just fucking great. I sighed loudly, staring out the darkened window as Mail glared at me before staring fixedly down at his lap.

"Nice parents you got there." Mail looked up at me silently, a question in his eyes. "Hey, we can't pick who are parents are, right? I mean, mine sure are a pair of assholes." His eyes narrowed suspiciously at me. "Especially that mom of yours. She and her brother...oh I'm sorry, I meant your father." Mail hissed at me, his fists balling up with fury.

"Shut up."

"Pretty disgusting, don't you think so?" Mail's face turned as red as his face and if it wasn't for the seat belt, he probably would've jumped me.

"I said shut up."

"Wonder what Oscar's dad would have said if he had noticed that little mix up."

"I've never met a more fucked up person than you." Mail snarled at me - no seriously, he actually snarled - and I just loved how much I could piss him off so easily. It was like my newest hobby.

"I'm flattered, really I am but have you looked in the mirror lately? No one's more fucked up than you are." Too make a long argument short, we arrived at my house not long after and stupid me let my guard down when I got out of the car. With one foot in the air, Mail jumped at me - seriously, who knew a cripple could have so much strength - and shoved my face into the sidewalk...not a pretty picture. Especially the damage he did to my face. I needed 16 fucking stitches on the side of my face and I knew it was going to leave the ugliest scar. Mommy and daddy dearest will be oh so disappointed.

Anyway, I'm getting off track. Basically, he jumped on top of me and even though I'm in pretty good shape, I haven't finished the rest of my judo training. Besides, its pretty hard to attack someone when there 30-pound leg is digging into your spine. Rick stopped the fight almost instantly, dragging Mail off my back and sitting him down in the car.

And me? I was fucking...crying.

Like I said before, having your head slammed into the floor...hurts like a bitch. So I bawled like a two year old as Rick put me back in the car - he thankfully had someone take Mail inside, if not I would've killed him - and drove me to the hospital.

But the conversation Rick and I had before they injected me with god-knows how much morphine is what really, truly, and painfully hate Mail Jeevas.

"The doctor will be with you in a minute." A nurse said for about the umpteenth time.

"Thank you." Rick interrupted before I could say anything. As soon as the door closed, he looked at me, his eyes piercing. When I was little, those eyes used to make me run for the hills. Now they just made me extremely uncomfortable. "Tell me what happened. Now."

"We got into a little-"

"Little?" I glared at him, wincing at the pain shooting through my face.

"It hurts to talk you know."

"We'll make this quick." Rick seriously looked angry. I don't know what he was so pissed about anyways.

"Fine. We both got into a "heated argument" about his parents and as soon as I got out of the car, he jumps me and decides to see if he can dig his way to China using my face." Rick rolled his eyes and rubbed his temples.

"Mihael, please. I'm getting too old-"

"You're not old." Seriously, he's only like ten or twenty years older than me. I think.

"Mihael, stop talking and just listen." He chided. "The driver said that you started the fight-"

"Correction. I started a conversation. He made it a fight."

"Something about his parents?"

"Well...yeah."

"Are you really that selfish?" His words hit me like a ton of bricks. Seriously, I had no idea where the fuck this was coming from?

"I...what?" Okay, I know and I've already said that I'm a selfish person. I can admit that. But to hear Rick say that? About me?

"I tried to raise you as best I could, no matter how stubborn you turned out to be, I tried my best to teach you good morals."

"You did." It just backfired a little. "I don't see how that makes me selfish."

"You don't care at all about the lower class, do you?"

"Not really no."

"So you don't really care about me then, do you?"

"Of course I do! Your my fucking best friend! Never ask me that again!" It felt unreal having the words spill out of mouth. Why did I have to tell Rick what he already know, and reassure him of the obvious?

"I really wish I could believe that. But with the way you've been acting lately...it wouldn't hurt to show a little compassion every once in awhile."

"But I do care." And like freaking karma, the doctor walked in motioning for Rick to leave. "Its because of him isn't it? This was never a problem before he showed up."

"We'll talk later." Rick said in a warning tone, standing up without a good bye. "Be gentle with him." He muttered to the doctor, as he walked out.

Basically, Mail has ruined everything dear to me: Rick and my face. So when I get out from this stupid hospital, I'm going to make him regret fucking with my life for the rest of his life.

* * *

A/N: So this turned out a lot better than I thought it would. I really want to do a lot more chapters from Mihael's POV, especially since one of my favorite chapters will be coming up soon. I really feel that Mihael's personality is lot more open at this point. For once, I wanted Mail and Mihael to really start off with a rocky relationship instead kisses and sex although I've never been against those either ;) And yeah, Mihael is a bitch. he's selfish, vain, immature and very stuck up. But that's just how I pictured him for now. It feels really good to update so even though I had to borrow a computer to update this, I'm really hoping to update soon.

P.S. PLEASE READ PLEASE READ PLEASE READ  
I'll be introducing Mihael's sister very soon so the first person/people who guessed it right are - someway or another - gonna have their name fit into the story! :) Least I can do for my very loyal readers. For those of you who haven't guessed or wanna change your character, let me know in the comments or a message but please try and keep it limited to one person. I'll announce whoever got it right and he/she can send me a message of whatever name (no last names) or nickname they want me to use. If you don't get it right, CHILLAX! There will most definitely be more of these as the story progresses with their own little rewards and who doesn't want to be part of the story. I'll try and update ASAP but most definitely after school end. Probably this saturday but if not, don't sweat.


	21. A Sudden Change of Heart

Mail watched Mihael silently as the older teen walked in front of him slowly, a menacing look plastered on his face. Mail sighed, knowing that this confrontation was bound to happen sooner or later, even if he was one hundred percent dreading it. With a sigh, he set down the book he was reading, giving the blonde his full attention while trying not to wince at the scar running down the side of his face.

Mihael crossed his arms, his cheeks red and his eyes filled with pure hatred. Mail wondered briefly if he should scream for Rick and call for help but then remembered than the servant was working outside. _Fuck_. With an obnoxiously loud sigh, Mihael ran his fingers through his hair and almost inaudibly whispered something that Mail was shocked to hear.

"Sorry." He must have heard wrong right? There was no way in hell the blonde was..._apologizing_. Mail felt his jaw drop and was embarrassed by the action but did not voice his opinion.

Mihael clenched his jaw, as if he wanted to cuss Mail out instead but did nothing, walking away from the younger teen as if nothing happened. Mail tried not to seem too surprised but he couldn't help it.

This was the first time _anyone_ in his life had ever said sorry to him and meant it - or at least seemed to. His heart pounded through his chest and he tried not to breathe to hard, feeling really happy that someone had bothered to...apologize. Someone actually tried and even if the blonde wasn't as sincere as he sounded Mail didn't care.

"Thank you." Mail called to the blonde, blushing when he realized he had spoken aloud. Mihael turned from his seat, taking his attention away from his laptop to stare at the red head with an unreadable expression.

"For what?" He asked in a voice blank of all emotion, although his eyes sparked with curiosity. Mail smiled and blushed even deeper, staring at his lap as he spoke.

"I..it's nothing. Just thanks for the apology." Mail closed his eyes, waiting for the sarcastic comment bound to come from across the room...and never did. He opened his eyes, looking up to see Mihael close his computer and walk over to his bed and crawl deep into the covers. Mail stared at the small lump underneath the covers and resisted the urge to chuckle. Instead, he stood up, stretching his now uncast leg and smiling now that he was able to walk again.

He reached over his own smaller bed, and pulled down on the light, leaving the two in darkness. He hadn't even realized it was so late in the night but he gladly let sleep take over.

* * *

For the first time, in a really long time, Mihael felt vulnerable. Not because of the stupid apology or because of Mail's happiness. None of that mattered...much. No, what he was feeling, rooted deep inside his chest was uncomfortable, keeping him from sleeping. That, and the damn insomnia, that came from his damn disorder. He sighed loudly, knowing it wouldn't bother Mail who was already fast asleep and he kicked the covers off his body, glaring at the clock on his side table. _12:38_. Damn.

He needed to tire himself out. Do something really physical that would force him to sleep, no matter how much trouble he had falling asleep. Bipolar disorder was really a bitch but he had mostly learned to deal with it. Mostly.

Mihael walked over to his dresser, quietly pulling it open and grabbing a pair of sweat pants and a tank top. Even though he was exhausted from his past few days at the hospital and his body still had some of the effects from the painkillers, he felt the urge to _run._ He had never been in track and didn't like sports where he had exert a lot of energy but he felt the need to go outside and run as fast as possible. He quietly left the room and went down the stairs quickly, hoping Rick wasn't awake as he made his way downstairs, roughly pulling on his shoes.

The night air hit him with full force and he shivered, briefly wondering if he should just go back up and wait to fall asleep. But he took a step forward and then another and then another, enjoying the cool air breathing down his neck. With a deep inhale, he took off down the long narrow road, his feet slapping the pavement rather loudly as he made his way down the long line of mansions, ignoring the light that shone within some of them. Luckily for most people, they were able to sleep without a hitch or a worry. They were able to control there emotions, their actions, their thoughts...their mood swings.

Mihael hated thinking so miserably, forcing himself to run faster despite the burning in his calves. He _needed _to feel something, anything other than anger. But all he seemed to really be feeling was the cold air whipping into him with more force, pushing him to a stand still. He panted with difficulty, his head spinning from the speed and the aching of his body. He turned around slowly, going into a slow jog as he began the long trek back to his home. He hadn't even realized that he had gone so far away and wanted to slap himself for doing so.

By the time he had finally reached his home, he was thoroughly exhausted, wiping away the sweat that had gather on his forehead and at the back of his neck. His ribs were aching and his head was spinning but he otherwise felt good. Being outside in the dark, alone while almost everyone was asleep was relaxing. Peaceful.

Except he wasn't completely alone.

Mihael jumped when he saw the figure sitting on the ground near the door and for a split second thought it was Rick. But the figure was too small and Mihael soon discovered it was Mail. he frowned in disgust. Was the kid _following_ him now? What the hell?

"What are you doing?' Mihael hissed quietly, noticing Mail jump when he saw Mihael.

"Holy crap. You scared me." Mail stated, his body relaxing as the blonde approached him with caution. "What are you doing out here?" Mihael noted there was something different about the teen. Something in his face, that made him seem more relaxed and more open to Mihael.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Mihael said, shuffling uncomfortably when no one spoke. "Why are you awake?" Mail shrugged, looking past Mihael and up at the sky.

"I like being outside when its dark. Its really...soothing. Especially when you have a lot on your mind." Mail shook his head, once again refocusing on Mihael. "You?"

"I was...running." Mihael answered, glad it was dark enough so that the other couldn't see him. "Couldn't sleep." He almost added 'ever' to the end of the sentence but managed to stop himself, instead choosing to sit down by Mail and ignoring the surprised expression on the red head's face. A strange silence filled the air but Mihael didn't feel like breaking it. He didn't feel like doing anything but just sitting there, enjoying the darkness.

"Its weird." Mihael looked over at Mail, who had his head resting on his knees, his arms wrapped around himself for warmth.

"What?"

"We're not fighting." Mihael thought about it for a moment and realized the other was right. This was the first time they had not argued in the months they had been around each other. Mihael felt like saying something sarcastic or rude but stopped himself, not wanting to ruin the peace for once.

"We must be coming down with something." Mihael commented lightly, smiling when he heard Mail chuckle. "I don't even know why I like arguing with you so much, its just really fun to pick on you."

"Yeah, well you're not the only one who thinks that." Mail answered dryly, his eyes narrowing. "You know I'm going to be leaving soon right?" Mihael frowned, curious, yet disturbed at the sudden change of topic.

"What? Why?"

"My legs all better." Mail answered, so quietly that Mihael had to lean in to hear him properly. "I'll have to go _home_ soon and then summer will be up." Mihael tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling growing in his stomach. Okay, so he wasn't going to be best friends with Mail and all that bs, but he felt that they had gotten over some of their previous immaturity. Aquatainces. That's what they were. "School will start soon so I guess I'll see you there."

"You will." Mihael said, a little more forcefully than necessary and sighed in response. "You don't want to go back home, do you?" Mail smiled a bitter smile, looking right at Mihael when he spoke.

"Like I have a choice."

#$%^&*&^%$##$%^&*&^%$#

PLEASE READ PLEASE READ PLEASE READ

A/N: Ugh finally I got this up. So it has been awhile. Sheesh. Been sick but I'm fully recovered and I've been chock full of ideas. Beauty in the Mask is going to be coming to an end soon but there will be a sequel - and as one of my new years resolutions I am for damn sure going to finish this story and its sequel.

Even better news is I have a new idea for a story - I know shame on me when I have so many others - but this one is my main project because its something that's never been done before.

I've set up the summary and I'm preparing to update the first chapter after I update the next chapter of this story so check it out later if you want. :)

**562**

Is the number of days I spent in captivity, lost deep in the deserts of Australia, hidden from civilization. 562. The number that haunted me for days and nights on end, taunting me until I screamed so hard I bled. 562 days of my life were stolen and coveted by the person who hid in the shadows, always watching me from afar, too afraid too come close. But it didn't stay that way forever. And after 562 days passed...well, things got complicated. Even more so than my actually kidnapping, which was really quite simple.

Let me start from the beginning.

Sound good? Let me know if you would read it or not. I've got the first few chapters lined up so updates aren't a problem.


	22. A Special Surprise

A/N: Holy shit. This is it. The FINAL chapter of Beauty in the Mask and my favorite one of all. Who would have thought? A part of me feels as if I'm ending it rather abruptly but where I'm cutting it off works with the sequel, which trust me, will have some serious lemon ;)

Thank you EVERYONE, who helped make this story so successful. Just to show how grateful I am, I've taken the liberty of recording everyone's name down who either alerted, reviewed, or made this story their favorite.

**TeiraanCHAn**, Shadow Dancer666, **LsAngel**, SuperSaiyanKiri, Raven's Bane, **Raven-and-Ray**, Your Alien, Pyro Band Ninja, **Jade Yasmin**, Oeel, KikiOjji, **Kari Twilight Mist**, PrincessPika, Eevee Tofu, **Alice4eva**, Rose-TheDaughterOfHades, Atreyl, **Shimeta**, xXlovely-emoXx, Beyond'sWaraNingyo, **fullmoons-wings**, Bedessica, ParadoxalPansy,** tsuki1613**, ShinigamiMailJeevas, mikoofdoom, **Lucifaera**, TimelyExit, jinnabun, **wammy's agent seeker**, Fundibulous teh Zohan, Eon Manic, **xzombieViolinistx**, Maura Keehl, Suki NightStar, **Moonlight and Music**, Teh Definition of Epic, sweetheart5793, **NaruSasuGaaltaFangirl**, snappygirl, wolfspeaker01, **onixxfilth**, PaintedClocks, yaoifangirl801, **Grimmjow Jeagarjaques**, feartehfox, Kyoko Keehl, **Butterfly's Shadow**, Chaos Raider Tenshi, Dajh, **dancingsilverwolf**, Miharu is Haruka's Love Child, The Soot Monster, **beautifulXbreakdown**, 1lvanessence1, 12-1-23-12-9-5-20, **CrimsonFeatherz**, rainbowswirl, xXcelestXx, **whatevergirl1396**, xMisaki-chan, Chocolatier-Mihael, **wolfinthelight26**, Astro-Creep 2000, mattxmellomxm2forever,** Deadly Nightshade1395**, chimaera-avon, silvagirl28, **PWN3D**, Yunabunaboo, Quashie, **Emerald-Sparkle**, Satan's Sweeties, LoveUntilWeBleed, **eggykay**, X-treme Kiwi, SheWhoFliesWithDragons, **laughing senseless**, schoolkid, Kagamine Yuu, **RhetoricalJeevas**, ILuvYa44, Black Cheshire, **RoonieBear1294,** mrazobsession, BlackAsDay, **-Mistress Sith-**, and crazychik410.

If I forgot anyone, I am so sorry and that it was completely unintentional. Also, I forgot to announce in the previous chapter who the winner was of guessing Mello's sister, who will have their first appearance in the sequel. The winner is...

Miharu is Haruka's Love Child! Congrats! I'll send you a message when I'm ready with the first chapter and you can in some way or another, let me know how you want to be introduced in the story. :O Again, thank thank thank you all and please ENJOY this last installment.

* * *

Mail took one lat look around the room he had grown so familiar with. A part of him was sad that he would be leaving, especially since Mihael and him had finally reached an understanding. But there was nothing that could be done, he had to go home. The only part of him that felt relieved was that he would see his beloved German Shepard Jojo again. He had really missed the dog over the summer and was just dying to see how much bigger the dog had gotten.

He packed the small suitcase of things he owned, pulling it out of the room with much more force than necessary as he climbed down the stairs. Rick was waiting at the door for him, taking his bag for him and holding the door for him. Mail smiled politely at the man, happy that he had gotten to meet someone as wonderful as the man servant. "Thanks Rick." He said lightly, looking at the giant mansion one last time before making his way to the car. It wasn't as if he'd ever see the place again anyways, so he might as well commit it to memory.

Rick climbed into the drivers seat of the black car waiting for them while Mail climbed into the back. What he did not expect to see in the seat next to him was Mihael, smiling devilishly at him.

"M-mihael?" He asked, hating how timid he sounded but frowning when he saw the other's malicious grin. "What are you doing here?" Mihael shrugged, flipping back his blonde hair and buckling in.

"Got a little surprise up my sleeve. A little act of _kindness_ before you go." He said, glaring at the back of Rick's head. Rick snorted, turning on the car instead and Mail felt as if he had missed something strange between the two. "Use the address I gave you Rick." Address? What address? Mail briefly wondered if Mihael was speaking of the directions to his house but quickly dismissed the thought when he realized that Rick already knew where he lived.

"Are you sure this is a good idea Mihael?" Rick asked, sounding cautious in a way that sent chills down Mail's spine. Whatever the two were planning, it was definitely not good.

"Of course I'm sure." Mihael snapped, pulling out a bar of chocolate and biting into it. "Relax." He said in a much lower voice to Mail. "Everything's going to turn out just fine." Something in the blonde's voice sounded so sure, so confident, that Mail found himself nodding and believing the blonde. Surprising but it was true.

They drove for about a half hour in silence but it wasn't uncomfortable, but rather soothing like the night they had spent together. He even felt a tingle spread through his entire body when Mihael's fingers gently rested on his knee, sending a pool of heat to his cheeks.

"Umm, where are we going again?" He asked, trying to sound stronger than he felt. But Mihael only grinned, at him, raising an eyebrow in response to his question.

"You'll see really soon. Oh crap." Mihael suddenly said, reaching down in the pocket of the seat for something. Mail felt the blush leave his face when he saw what the blonde was holding: a black blindfold.

"Put this on. It'll help the build up." Mihael said with a wink. Mail had no way to react to this so he simply took the outstretched blindfold, placing it over his eyes. "And no peaking either."

After some more time passed, Rick finally parked the car. Mail felt as if the pounding of his heart was echoing through the entire car and was almost sure that the others could hear it. He felt Mihael grab his hand and pull him out of the car, almost jumping when he heard the car door slam. "Stay here Rick. We'll be fine." _Oh god. I'm going to be stuck here alone with Mihael. Oh shit._

"Mihael, I really hate surprises." He muttered, thankful that he didn't sound too nervous. Mihael only chuckled, dragging the younger teen into the unknown building filled with cool air. Mail tried to peak out from underneath the blindfold to catch a glimpse of what was around him but Mihael had checked the blindfold carefully to make sure Mail couldn't see.

"We're almost there. Don't worry, you're gonna love it." Mail was once again shocked by how carefree the older teen sounded, much more different than his usual self. He couldn't help but smile, not really minding the sudden change in behavior. As long as he could keep up, that was all that mattered.

"Here we are." Mail swallowed, listening carefully to the sound of keys fiddling and the opening of a door. He gently pushed Mail inside, closing the door behind him before sliding his fingers underneath the back of the blindfold. "Ready?" Mail nodded, knowing there was no reason to feel nervous. He shut his eyes as the blindfold was pulled off and he hesitated to open them. But when he did, he had never been more shocked by what he was staring at.

A medium sized apartment stared back at him. Mail swallowed, slowly walking down the hallway and gazing at the entire living room, his eyes lingering on the nice furniture and pictures on the wall. He had never been more confused before in his life and with reluctance, he turned away from the view to the smirking blonde leaning against the door.

"What is this?" Mail asked. Mihael rolled his eyes, strolling up to the red head and handing him a key.

"Yours. God you're oblivious." Mail felt his chest tighten as he stared at the key, disbelief etched across his face.

"You mean this...place is mine? For me?"

"Obviously." Mihael said, pushing the teen forward and dragging him into a another room. "Here's the bedroom. It connects to the bathroom there. Kitchen's the other way, through the living room. And you have a nice little view through that window there." Mihael said, showing Mail around the entire place. Mail's face was blank his lips pressed into a thin line. Mihael frowned, wondering why the teen hadn't thanked him once or anything like that.

"How much?" Mail asked quietly, staring at the floor. Mihael raised his eye brows at the question but nonetheless answered.

"$13,000 I think. But that's plus utilities." Mail frowned, not expecting the price of this place to be so...high.

"I won't be able to pay you back though. Its too much." Mail said, surprised when he saw Mihael rolling his eyes dramatically.

"Don't be such an idiot. This is a _present._ A gift. You don't pay back gifts."

"But-"

"You said you didn't want to go back there so now you can stay here." Mail's eyes widened, finally realizing why the older teen was doing all this. He had admitted so openly that he didn't want to go back home, that he didn't even consider that place a home but that he had no other choice but to go back there. And now, with this apartment...

Mihael was giving him a choice.

Mail was too shocked for words, but Mihael nodded, making his way to the door. "There's food in the fridge, the TV works just fine, and there's internet downstairs that you have to ask for. I'll be here sometime later this week and when school starts, Rick will pick you up downstairs so don't be late." He scolded, turning away from the red head completely but jumping when he felt the other's hand wrap around his own. He turned around, surprised when Mail wrapped his arms around his neck pulling him close to him. Mihael blushed, trying to maintain his cool composure but failing to do so when the younger teen whispered so softly in his ear.

"Thank you."

* * *

THE END! Damn, that turned out beautifully. Hope y'all liked this story. The title of the sequel will be called **Unable to Escape** and I'm not sure when it will be up due to school starting. But if you want to know when its going to be up, send me a message and I'll tell you when its up. Thanks again, for reading this story! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!


	23. Happy Thanksgiving

You know, its been over two years since I began writing stories on this site and I just want to say how incredibly thankful I am. Unfortunately, not every story has made it to the end and some stories have been abandoned for so so long but I've been doing my best to try and finish what I started. I tried this with my story **Virgin, Love Leave Marks, **and **Beauty in the Mask**. I even started the sequel of **Virgin **too :)

But there are a few stories that were left behind at the same time like **A Little Piece of Heaven, Cupid Strikes Back****, **and **So Wrong Its Right**. I hate to say this, I really do but I won't be continuing **So Wrong Its Right. **I feel really bad about it but I don't want to kid anyone. Honesty is the best policy in my eyes. I do have hopes for **A Little Piece of Heaven** and **Cupid Strikes Back** because I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON THESE TWO! But I still want to apologize for waiting so long to update...that is...if anyone still reads them...lol.

Long story short, I just want to say I really am thankful for everyone. Even if today wasn't the best, its always good to know that there are people who enjoy my writing. Every favorite, alert, and review always makes me smile.

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Some names are repeated more than once so I'm too lazy too fix that. Happy Thanksgiving everybody :)


	24. Extra Note

A/N: Hey all! :D So its been a while. Over a year to be exact. TO be honest, I'm so crowded with stories right now that I don't think I'll be able to start the sequel for a long long time. But in the meantime, I would love to hear any ideas you guys and girls might have for me. Is there anything you want in the second story? Let me know. I'll replace this chapter with an author's note saying when the sequel is up so keep this on your alerts list :)


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